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Stem Cell Types

Stem cells are cells that have the potential to develop into any type of cell in the body. The stem cell types are embryonic, adult and induced pluripotent stem cells.

  1. Stem Cells

    • According to National Institutes of Health, all stem cells have three general properties: they can divide and renew themselves for long periods. they are unspecialized, and they can produce specialized cell types.

    Embryonic

    • Embryonic stem cells come from a pre-implantation embryo (blastocyst) that develops five days after the sperm fertilizes an egg. Embryonic stem cells can potentially produce all of the types of cells in the body.

    Adult

    • Adult (or somatic) stem cells are from certain tissues deep in the organs of a fully developed human. Adult stem cells may only produce certain types of specialized cells.

    Induced Pluripotent

    • First identified in 2006 in mice and in 2007 in humans, induced pluripotent stem cells are adult cells reprogrammed to become like embryonic stem cells.

    Treatment

    • According to National Institutes of Health, stem cell research has the potential to lead to treatments for Parkinson's disease, diabetes, traumatic spinal cord injury, Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, heart disease and vision and hearing loss.

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