- What are stem cells and what do they do?
Stem cells have the power to divide and create more cells, they can create new cells as well as differentiated cells as well. On the basis of the research being conducted on stem cell therapy Houston, it can be claimed that stem cells help in fixing bones and curing cancer.
- Why prolonged research has to be conducted on stem cells?
Stem cells are known for curing many health ailments, regenerating organs and even help in keeping the body in its youthful conditions. A lot of research has been impending on the subject as it is deemed to hold many possibilities for the future of medicine.
- What are the different types of stem cells and what do they mean?
There are three types of stem cells. They are pluripotent, embryonic and adult. The huge distinction between these types of stem cells is how many different kinds of cells they can form. Multipotent cells can be formed into more than one cell type of the body. Pluripotent cells can create or be differentiated into all types of tissues. But, they are not able to form a new animal. On the contrary, totipotent cells are pluripotent cells that support extra embryonic structures of the placenta.
Embryonic stem cells are separated from an embryo for about 5 days post fertilization and cultivated in a dish. The advantage of these cells is that they can become any cell type in the body. Researchers claim that ES cells can work at their best in a developing embryo without creating tumors.
Adult stem cells, aka somatic stem cells or tissue specific stem cells are located in various places in a body. Each location bears a particular kind of stem cells which is meant for that very part of the body. They are located all over the body as they are required to replace the damaged or worn out cells. For instance, the epithelial stem cells in your gut produce more cells to replace the gut lining and neural stem cells form new brain cells. The hematopoietic cells in bone marrow and umbilical cord that forms RBC and WBC and platelets are easy to find. Bone marrow stromal cells are a type of adult stem cells. They are also found in bone marrow that can form many cell types. Bone marrow stromal stem cells or skeletal stem cells form bone, cartilage, fat and fibrous tissue. Adult stem cells can also be found in brain, heart, teeth, skin, liver, and skeletal muscles.
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