Stem Cells Basics

• Date: November 30, 2009
• Source: stemcells.nih.gov

Stem cells are being researched for treatment of various diseases due to their regenerative capabilities. They function as internal repair systems. Stem cells differ from other cell types by two important characteristics. First, they are unspecialized cells capable of renewing themselves through cell division, sometimes after long periods of inactivity. Second, under certain physiologic or experimental conditions, they can be induced to become tissue- or organ-specific cells with special functions. In some organs, such as the gut and bone marrow, stem cells regularly divide to repair and replace worn out or damaged tissues. In other organs, however, such as the pancreas and the heart, stem cells only divide under special conditions. Recent developments in stem cell research wherein cells derived from umbelical cord blood has shown promising results in lab tests for regeneration of damaged lungs and further research is being made to extend this to repair disfunctional heart.