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What Are Stem Cells and Their Applications

Stem cells are unique cells capable of repairing damaged tissues and can differentiate into various cell types, including embryonic, adult, induced pluripotent, and mesenchymal stem cells. They have significant applications in tissue regeneration, treatment of cardiovascular and brain diseases, and blood disorders. Sources of stem cells include embryonic cells from blastocysts and adult stem cells from specific tissues in the body.

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90 views3 pages

What Are Stem Cells and Their Applications

Stem cells are unique cells capable of repairing damaged tissues and can differentiate into various cell types, including embryonic, adult, induced pluripotent, and mesenchymal stem cells. They have significant applications in tissue regeneration, treatment of cardiovascular and brain diseases, and blood disorders. Sources of stem cells include embryonic cells from blastocysts and adult stem cells from specific tissues in the body.

Uploaded by

RBM Media
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What are Stem Cells?

Stem cells also have the ability to repair damaged cells. These cells have
strong healing power. They can evolve into any type of cell.

Types of cells
Stem cells are of the following different types:

• Embryonic Stem Cells


• Adult Stem Cells
• Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
• Mesenchymal stem cells

Embryonic Stem Cells


The fertilized egg begins to divide immediately. All the cells in the young
embryo are totipotent cells. These cells form a hollow structure within a few
days. Cells in one region group together to form the inner cell mass. This
contains pluripotent cells that make up the developing foetus.

The embryonic stem cells can be further classified as:

• Totipotent Stem Cells: These can differentiate into all possible types of stem
cells.
• Pluripotent Stem Cells: These are the cells from an early embryo and can
differentiate into any cell type.
• Multipotent Stem Cells: These differentiate into a closely related cell type. E.g.,
the hematopoietic stem cells differentiate into red blood cells and white blood
cells.
• Oligopotent Stem Cells: Adult lymphoid or myeloid cells are oligopotent. They
can differentiate into a few different types of cells.
• Unipotent Stem Cells: They can produce cells only of their own type. Since they
have the ability to renew themselves, they are known as unipotent stem cells.
E.g., Muscle stem cells.

Adult Stem Cells


These stem cells are obtained from developed organs and tissues. They can
repair and replace the damaged tissues in the region where they are
located. For eg., hematopoietic stem cells are found in the bone marrow.
These stem cells are used in bone marrow transplants to treat specific types
of cancers.

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells


These cells have been tested and arranged by converting tissue-specific
cells into embryonic cells in the lab. These cells are accepted as an
important tool to learn about the normal development, onset and
progression of the disease and are also helpful in testing various drugs.
These stem cells share the same characteristics as embryonic cells do. They
also have the potential to give rise to all the different types of cells in the
human body.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells


These cells are mainly formed from the connective tissues surrounding other
tissues and organs, known as the stroma. These mesenchymal stem cells
are accurately called stromal cells. The first mesenchymal stem cells were
found in the bone marrow that is capable of developing bones, fat cells, and
cartilage.

There are different mesenchymal stem cells that are used to treat various
diseases as they have been developed from different tissues of the human
body. The characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells depend on the organ
from where they originate.

Applications of Stem Cells


Following are the important applications of stem cells:

Tissue Regeneration
This is the most important application of stem cells. The stem cells can be
used to grow a specific type of tissue or organ. This can be helpful in kidney
and liver transplants. The doctors have already used the stem cells from
beneath the epidermis to develop skin tissue that can repair severe burns
or other injuries by tissue grafting.
Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease
A team of researchers have developed blood vessels in mice using human
stem cells. Within two weeks of implantation, the blood vessels formed their
network and were as efficient as the natural vessels.

Treatment of Brain Diseases


Stem cells can also treat diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and
Alzheimer’s. These can help to replenish the damaged brain cells.
Researchers have tried to differentiate embryonic stem cells into these
types of cells and make it possible to treat diseases.

Blood Disease Treatment


The adult hematopoietic stem cells are used to treat cancers, sickle cell
anaemia, and other immunodeficiency diseases. These stem cells can be
used to produce red blood cells and white blood cells in the body.

Sources of Stem Cells


Stem Cells originate from different parts of the body. Adult stem cells can be
found in specific tissues in the human body. Matured cells are specialized to
conduct various functions. Generally, these cells can develop the kind of
cells found in tissues where they reside.

Embryonic Stem Cells are derived from 5-day-old blastocysts that develop
into embryos and are pluripotent in nature. These cells can develop any type
of cell and tissue in the body. These cells have the potential to regenerate
all the cells and tissues that have been lost because of any kind of injury or
disease.

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