Stem Cells: Your Body's Shape-Shifters
What is it?
Stem cells are special cells that are able to divide and renew themselves over a long period of time. They can also turn into other kinds of cells—like muscle, nerve, or blood cells—through a process called differentiation. Due to their ability to differentiate, the use of stem cells has become a prospect in regenerative medicine, specifically for diseases.
3 Things to Know
Scientists are testing whether stem cells can help treat Type 1 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, ALS, heart failure, arthritis, and many other conditions.
Stem cells can be used to help people with some types of cancer and blood-related diseases by rebuilding the cells they lose after treatment.
There are two main types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells can become almost any cell in the body, while adult stem cells have more limitations.
Fun Fact
You have stem cells working right now. The stem cells in your bone marrow make about 200 billion new red blood cells every single day.
Current Research
How could cell reprogramming, which turns adult cells back into stem cells, be used to make new treatments for disease?
Explore!
What are stem cells? - Craig A. Kohn
How Cells Become Specialized [Featuring Stem Cells]
Stem Cells: The Future of Regenerative Medicine | Valentina Vasquez | TEDxYouth@SRDS
Stem cells and differentiation | From cells to organisms | High school biology | Khan Academy