What we need to know about stem cells

There is good benefit in knowing some basic information about stem cells, says biology student Steven Rindner. Stem cells are characterized by their ability to self-renew and to reproduce. They have other names, such as “precursor cells” or the more scientific “undifferentiated cells.” Apparently, like a parent cell, these stem cells produce “offspring cells” which would propagate, either as stem cells or “differentiated cells.” These differentiated cells are what comprise the tissues and organs of plants and animals. And there are three main types of stem cells this article wishes to share.

Embryonic stem cells

These stem cells are obtained from the early stages of development of a mammalian embryo, in which the inner cell mass is called a blastocyst. This stage is reached approximately 4-5 days after fertilization. Embryonic stem cells is also described as pluripotent - a “master builder” cell responsible for building newer cells, adds Steven Rindner.

Adult stem cells

These stem cells replace the cells that die, either from physiological or pathological reasons, within a specific organ. In this regard, these type of stem cells can only reproduce, or are limited to, the tissue of an organ from which they belong. For example, only a liver stem cell produce liver tissues, and muscle fibers can only be reproduced by muscle stem cells, explains Steven Rindner. Thus, adult stem cells are also called “tissue stem cells,” and/ or somatic stem cells.

Induced pluripotent stem cells

This is a latest in stem cell technology. Induced pluripotent cells are obtained, using new technology, from adult stem cells, in response to the ethical and moral issues surrounding methods on embryonic stem cells. Steven Rindner adds, this way, the resulting Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells from adult stem cells, now behaving like embryonic stem cells, will be able to reproduce into any cell type without breaking moral and ethical norms.