6 Cell division

OCR Biology A Application

Stems cells – a cure for Alzheimer’s?

Specification reference
 2.1.6 (m)
 HSW9 Consider applications and implications of science and evaluate their
associated benefits and risks.
 HSW10 Consider ethical issues in the treatment of humans, other organisms
and the environment.

Learning outcomes
After completing the worksheet you should be able to:
 describe how stem cells could be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease
 examine the ethical issues around the use of stem cells
 evaluate the risks and benefits of using stem cells.

Introduction
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can divide and differentiate into any type
of specialised cell. Stem cells could be used to replace faulty cells in some human
disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease which is caused by the loss of neurones in
the brain.

Background
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia and affects almost
500,000 people in the UK. It usually affects people over the age of 60, although it
affects slightly more women than men. It is a progressive disease, which means that
the disease and its associated symptoms get gradually worse. The usual progress
of the disease is over ten years and has a range of symptoms from memory loss
and lack of fine motor coordination, to loss of speech and lack of mobility. People
suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s require full-time care.
Alzheimer’s disease is caused by damage to neurones and the build up of amyloid
plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. If you looked at the brain of
someone with Alzheimer’s, you would see that there was much less brain tissue and
larger fluid-filled ventricles. If you examined the neurones under a microscope, you
would see that there were large clusters of protein fragments, called plaques,
between neurones and tangles of proteins around dead and dying neurones.
Stem cell research uses embryonic stem cells (cells from an early embryo called a
blastocyst) to investigate possible cures for Alzheimer’s. Several different
approaches have been tried. For example, you could inject neural stem cells (stem
cells that can only develop into types of brain cells) into the brain in the hope that
they will develop into new neurones. The hope is that the new neurones would
integrate into the brain, replacing neurones that have been damaged. The problem
with this is that the new neurones might not be integrated into the brain correctly, or
that the plaques and tangles already present in the brain might damage them.

© Oxford University Press 2015 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

This resource sheet may have been changed from the original 1
 6 Cell division
OCR Biology A Application

The brains of people with Alzheimer’s only produce a small amount of proteins
called neurotrophins. These proteins are needed to support the growth and survival
of normal, healthy neurones. The lack of these could be contributing to neuronal
death, so an alternative treatment could be to inject stem cells that produce a
hormone called neurotrophins into the brain. This has already been shown to work
in mouse brains.
Research into Alzheimer’s is essential as more of the UK population are living
longer, and more people each year are diagnosed. There are limited medicines that
can be given because of the complexity of the disease. Each person will present
with the disease in a slightly different way. If a cure could be found many people
would no longer have to suffer. Many people believe that this justifies using
embryonic stem cells.
Some people believe that embryonic stem cells should not be used in any type of
research because these embryos could potentially develop into human beings. In
fact, the production of embryonic stem cell lines is banned in many countries
including France, Germany, and Ireland. Using embryonic stem cells for research is
easier for scientists, because the cells are plentiful and easy to harvest, but there are
alternatives. Stem cells can also be harvested from umbilical cords, or from adults.
Adults contain adult stem cells in most of their organs, but these are fewer in number
and more difficult to harvest. They also usually only differentiate into limited types of
cells. For example, adult skin stem cells only differentiate into types of skin cell.

Should stem cells be used to treat Alzheimer’s?

Write a journal article on stem cells and Alzheimer’s disease. Your article should
consider the following points:
 What are stem cells?
 Where are stem cells usually found?
 Explain how stem cells used to treat Alzheimer’s disease.
 Discuss the ethical reasons why stem cell research should not be used.
 Contrast the ethical reasons why stem cell research should be used.
 Evaluate the risks and benefits of using stem cells in Alzheimer’s treatment.

© Oxford University Press 2015 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

This resource sheet may have been changed from the original 2