Stem cells are used every day throughout the United States to help cure diseases and save lives. Stem cells can also be used to study labor defects to prevent or reverse future birth defects. While starting a family may not yet be on your mind as a college student, it's always helpful to educate yourself on current trends and new discoveries in stem cell research. Andres Travino and his wife were thrilled when their son Andy was born ten years ago. Andy prayed and hoped for a healthy baby despite the fact that his wife carried a genetic gene called NEMO, which caused the immune system to collapse. Unfortunately, immediately after the birth of his son he was diagnosed with NEMO. They didn't know what to do and temporarily began to lose hope. They made several trips to the doctor's office when a doctor finally suggested a bone marrow stem cell transplant to replace parts of his immune system that would help him fight infections. However, the success rate of the procedure depended on the compatibility of the donor; and after searching for two long years they couldn't find a match. They eventually decided to have another child so they could use the cells from the umbilical cord to treat their son. At first the treatment didn't work, but after a few more cells were transplanted, Andy recovered. The coordinators of Stem Cell basics explain that: “Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during the first years of life and growth” (para. 1). When a stem cell divides, it can remain a stem cell or become a specific cell, such as a brain cell or a muscle cell. A stem cell can also divide to restore and replace damaged tissue. “Given their unique regenerative power...... middle of paper ......and Alzheimer's.” Times Magazine, June 25, 2011. Web. October 10, 2011Phillips, Theresa. “Pros and Cons of Stem Cell Research.” About.com. Biotechnological/Biomedical, ndWeb. October 17, 2011.Pillai, Prabhakar. “Advantages and Disadvantages of Stem Cell Research.” buzzle.com.Smart Life on the Web, nd Web. October 10, 2011.Stem Cell Basics, . "Introduction: What are stem cells and why are they important?" Stem cell basics. National Institutes of Health, April 28, 2009. Web. October 10, 2011. “Stem Cell Transplant.” Children's health. Nemours and Web. October 10, 2011. "Stem cell transplant." Mayo Clinic Health Letter 29.9 (2011): 4-5. OmniFile Full Text Mega. Web. October 10, 2011. "The stem cell debate is dead." Oprah Winfrey Show. ABC: Chicago, April 6, 2009. Television.October 17, 2011. Zatz, Steven "Defining mucosite.com, April 27, 2011. Web2011