Rina Mae Lawi-an BSA-3

6385 STS (3:30-4:30 PM)

SYNTHESIS: SUSAN LIM: TRANSPLANT CELLS, NOT ORGANS
Susan Lim was the one who performed the Asia’s successful first cadaveric liver transplant
procedure. Twenty years after the operation, her patient survived as the longest surviving patient after the
cadaveric liver transplant. However, the problem here is that not all patients in the transplant waiting list
are fortunate. There are no enough donor organs. More than thousands of people die due to the lack of
donor organs. As transplant community campaigned for organ donations, the organ donation has been
extended from brain-dead donors to living related donors to living unrelated donors. This gives rise to moral
controversy. It’s hard to determine if the donation is voluntary or if it is forced. Victims of involuntary
donation are those people who don’t have enough power or those people who suffered poverty. This led to
surrendering the organs in exchange of money.
For two years, Susan Lim was struggling in harvesting organs of the executed prisoners in the
prison. She was troubled also of the harvesting of stem cells from human embryos. She wants to find ways
in circumventing death and also deliver the gift of life that will help millions of people worldwide. As time
goes by, the practice of surgery evolves from big to small. The transplantation was shifted from whole
organs to cell. As Susan Lim witnessed the whole organ pancreas transplant in the University of Minnesota,
she realized the technical difficulty that led her to be inspired in transplanting cells from transplanting whole
organs. Technically, a much simpler procedure according to her. At that time, stem cells research has gained
momentum following the isolation of the first human embryonic stem cells in 1990s. The observation that
stem cells as master cells could give rise to a whole variety of different cell types such as heart cells, liver
cells and more. Being captured by this, Susan Lim focused her research on stem cells as a possible source
for cell transplants. There are many types of stem cells. Embryonic stem cells have that pluripotency that
can produce any or variety of types of tissue or cells the body needs to repair itself. The problem here is
that cells are derived from five-day old human embryos which encourage research to other types of stem
cells. Susan Lim focused on adipose tissue or fats which is a non-controversial source of stem cells which
is very available and abundant. However, fat derived stem cells are adult stem cells and not embryonic stem
cells. Adult stem cells are matured cells which are more restrictive. They are unable to give rise to the
variety of specialized cell types that can repair the body. In 2007, Shinya Yamanaka of Japan and Jamie
Thompson of the United States discovered that adult stem cells could be reprogrammed back into
embryonic like cells which they termed IPS cells which means Induced Pluripotent Stem cells. Sciences
around the world are racing in reprogramming adult stem cells into embryonic like cells. Susan Lim is more
focused in taking fats and reprogramming huge amount of fats into fountains of youthful cells which can
be used in making other specialized cells for transplants.
There’s hope that the promise of stem cells will cure lot of conditions such as Stroke, Leukemia,
Rheumatoid arthritis, Retinal disease and many more. Stem cell-derived retinal transplants now in a
research phase may one day restore vision to lots of patients. The fact is that when our organs or tissues are
injured, our bone marrow releases stem cells into our circulation and these stem cells then float in the
bloodstream to damage organs to repair the damage tissue. Stem cells may be used as the building blocks
to repair damaged scaffold within our body. It may be used to deliver growth factor to repair damaged heart
muscle. It provides hope for new beginnings. We, then repair instead of replacement. If the research is
successful, it may reduce the need to sacrifice human embryos and it may one day reduce the need for donor
organs which can circumvent death and also provide a gift of life. I know it takes lot of process but we must
not stop hoping for all of us to survive in the long run and embrace this life that we have.