by Dr Simona Pop
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can differentiate into specialized cell types and divide to produce more stem cells. This unique characteristic allows them to repair and regenerate damaged tissues.
Stem cells can be categorized into two main types: embryonic stem cells, which are derived from embryos, and adult stem cells, which are found in adult tissues.
The study of stem cells has gained significant attention in the scientific community due to their potential in treating various diseases and injuries. This versatility makes stem cells a valuable resource in medical research.
Let’s see how stem cells work.
Stem cells do two things that no other cell can do:
- They continually renew and divide to make exact copies of themselves. Typical or normal cells multiply and divide, but they have limited lifespans.
- They are the only cells that make specialized (differentiated) cells to replace or repair certain types of cells.
Hematopoietic stem cells support blood and immune cells.
Basal stem cells support skin cells.
Mesenchymal stem cells support bone, cartilage, muscle, and fat.
Why are stem cells so important?
Stem cells are essential for my work in building and maintaining your body. What’s more, they are necessary for medical research.
Researchers study stem cells to:
- Understand how diseases develop. Researchers culture (grow) stem cells in different tissues and organs. Observing how stem cells change as they grow can help researchers understand how diseases develop.
- Learn how stem cells could replace damaged or unhealthy cells. Researchers are studying how stem cells can become different types of cells that can treat injuries or diseases in specific parts of the body. For example, one day, researchers may be able to make stem cells to treat severe burns by replacing damaged skin.
- Test new treatments and drugs. Researchers use stem cells to evaluate drugs that may be more effective at treating specific diseases. By using specially prepared stem cells, researchers can determine whether a treatment works and is safe before giving the drugs to people in clinical trials.
What are the types of stem cells?
Doctors and researchers classify stem cell types based on the source of the cells or the function of the cells. Most people are probably more familiar with classifying stem cells by source:
- Embryonic (pluripotent) stem cells. These cells have the power to become any type of cell. (“Pluri” means many. “Potent” comes from the Latin word for posse, or to be strong.) Medical researchers obtain embryonic stem cells from donated umbilical cord blood or from embryos developed during in vitro fertilization.
- Tissue-specific (unipotent or multipotent) stem cells. These cells can make new stem cells, but only for the tissue in which they live. For example, blood-forming stem cells in the bone marrow can make new blood cells and platelets. But they cannot make new lung or liver stem cells. Researchers obtain stem cells from donated tissue.
- Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). These stem cells are made in the lab and look and act like embryonic stem cells. Medical researchers use these cells to study how tissues develop, how disease affects tissue, and to test new drugs and treatments.
