Gene therapy involves inserting genes into cells to treat disease, while stem cell therapy uses stem cells that can differentiate into other cell types. There are two types of gene therapy: germline modifies sperm or eggs and changes are inheritable, while somatic modifies patient's somatic cells and changes are not inheritable. Stem cell therapy currently uses adult stem cells from bone marrow or blood to treat cancers and blood disorders, and may potentially treat many other conditions. Both therapies aim to cure genetic disorders but also face scientific, ethical, and financial challenges.

1. Gene Therapy & Stem Cells by: Jian Mei, Bailey Piedra, Kathy klepaczko, Jillian

2. Stem Cell versus Gene Therapy Stem Cells Found in all multi cellular organisms Characterized by the ability to renew themselves through mitotic cell division Able to differentiate into a diverse range of specialized cell types Research concentrates on the creation of stem cells that can be altered to possibly grow tissues and the like Gene Therapy The insertion of genes into an individual's cell and biological tissues to treat diseases, such as cancer deleterious mutant alleles are replaced with functional ones Concentrates on manipulating genes that are already there to find which one causes certain diseases and conditions Hopefully will find a way to eradicate diseases

3. Types of Gene Therapy (Classified as 2 Types) Germ Line Sperm or eggs are modified by the introduction of functional genes, which are ordinarily integrated into their genomes Change is inheritable and can be passed on Should be highly effective in counteracting genetic disorders and hereditary diseases But many jurisdictions prohibit this for application in human beings, at least for the present, for a variety of technical and ethical reasons Somatic Therapeutic genes are transferred into the somatic cells of a patient Modifications and effects will be restricted to the individual patient only Change is not inheritable and cannot be passed on

4. Current Treatments: Adult Stem Cell Transplant: Bone Marrow Stem Cells -Used to treat leukemia and other types of cancer, as well as various blood disorders. Adult Stem Cell Transplant: Peripheral Blood Stem Cells -While most blood stem cells reside in the bone marrow, a small number are present in the bloodstream. These multipotent peripheral blood stem cells, or PBSCs, can be used just like bone marrow stem cells to treat leukemia, other cancers and various blood disorders. Potential treatments: Brain damage Cancer Spinal cord injury Heart damage Haematopoiesis (blood cell formation) Baldness Missing teeth Deafness Blindness and vision impairment Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Graft vs. host disease and Crohn's disease Neural and behavioral birth defects Diabetes Orthopedics Wound healing Infertility Types of Stem Cell Therapy

5. Pros to Gene Therapy The human race has always been under the continuous onslaught of diseases. Some diseases can be cured through medicines, but genetic disorders have no cure unless the defective gene is replaced by the correct one and this is what gene therapy is aimed at.

6. Cons toGene therapy Scientific Issues: There i no guarantee that the viral enzyme will be able to introduce the correct gene to the specific point in the host chromosome. Ethical Issues: Given the technology, gene therapy treatment will be expensive. Religious Issues: Manipulating genetic makeup of man is absolutely unacceptable by those with strong religious beliefs.

7. History of Gene Therapy