Cell & Tissue Science

Stem cells

Stem cells have the exceptional potential to develop into many different cell types within the body throughout early life and growth. In addition to that, in several tissues they function a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to refill different cells as long as the person or animal remains alive. Once a stem cell divides itself, and then each new cell has the potential either to stay as a stem cell or become another type of cell with an improved specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a nerve cell. Stem cells come from 2 main sources: embryonic stem cells, Embryos formed during the blastocyst phase of embryological development and adult stem cells. Both types are typically characterized by their efficiency, or potential to completely differentiate into different cell type.