Stem Cells Basics
What Stem Cells Are Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the ability to become any kind of cell in the body. One of the main characteristics of stem cells is their ability to undergo mitosis while maintaining the potential to develop into other types of cells (Crosta). Different Types Of Stem Cells There are a few different types of stem cells. One type is called Pluripotent Stem Cells, or PS cells. These possess the capacity to divide for long periods and retain their ability to make all cell types within the organism (Crosta, Henslik). The best known type of pluripotent stem cell is the one present in embryos that helps babies grow within the womb. Another type are called Fetal Stem Cells. These are obtained from tissues of a developing human fetus. These cells have some characteristics of the tissues they are taken from. For example, those taken from fetal muscles can make only muscle cells. These are also called progenitor cells (Crosta). The last type is Adult Stem Cells. These are obtained from some tissues of the adult body. The most commonly used example is bone marrow. Bone marrow is a rich source of stem cells that can be used to treat some blood diseases and cancers (Henslik).
How Stem Cells Can Be Used To Treat People Research has proven that stem cells may be used to regenerate damaged tissue, or even grow into a new organ in a lab. Unfortunately, directing the stem cells to grow and differentiate in certain