Stem Cells

Stem cells are unique, fascinating cells that are part of nearly every multi-cellular organism. In general, they are early-stage cells, capable of continuously dividing and developing into other specialized types of cells. For example, stem cells have the ability to turn into liver cells, skin cells, nerve cells, etc. They are basically a blank slate that do not yet have a specific function and therefore can ultimately be programmed to perform any one of a number of specialized tasks.

The two types of stem cells are adult and embryonic. Adult stem cells are found in adult tissues such as bone marrow, fat cells, umbilical cords and other areas. The primary purpose of adult stem cells is to act as a repair system for the body. The cells replenish specialized cells, while maintaining the normal turnover of regenerative organs, such as blood, skin or intestinal tissues.

For many years, adult stem cell therapies have been used to successfully treat conditions such as leukemia and related bone/blood cancers. For example, because bone marrow contains stem cells, bone marrow transplants are used to replace stem cells that are damaged or destroyed as a result of chemotherapy. Due to its non-controversial nature, adult stem cell research is receiving increased U.S. government funding. Currently, there are no mainstream human embryonic stem cell therapies.