An Assessment Of Adult Stem Cells

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An Assessment Of Adult Stem Cells
Adult stem cells are found in regions called "stem cell niches" in various organs and tissues. These cells remain dormant until there is a need for them, that could include a requirement for new cells to replace damaged tissue because of injury or disorder. Like embryonic stem cells, scientists are developing procedures harvest them in colonies, to extract these adult stem cells, and manipulate them to create colonies of specialized cells that may be used for treatments of particular ailments. The challenge arises because once extracted from the human body, these cells have limited capacities to grow and copy.

Adult stem cells, by comparison, are "fully discerned." That means they are what they are and do what they do. They can't choose another livelihood.

Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. Furthermore, in many tissues they serve as a form of repair system that is internal, dividing fundamentally without limit to replenish other cells. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a brain cell, or a muscle cell, a red blood cell.

The bone marrow stem cell is the most studied since it was initially discovered to in the 1960s of the stem cells. Originally used in bone marrow transplant for leukemias and hematopoietic diseases, numerous studies have now expanded experimental use of these cells for afflictions like diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure, and other degenerative disorders.