STEM CELLS | stem-cells

3 Types of Stem Cells:

What Are Stem Cells?

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can divide and differentiate into specialized tissue. Stem cells differentiate when neighboring specialized cells secrete chemical signals. Those signals create a microenvironment that affects the gene expression of stem cells, causing them to conform to the specialized cell. Since stem cells have yet to take on a specific form, they have the potential to repair and replace damaged tissue. Researchers can potentially use stem cells to regenerate organs and cure diseases such as Parkinson's disease, arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease. Click the three tabs on the left to learn more about the different types of stem cells!

Potency:

Different stem cells differ in their versatility or ability to become various cell types. They can be classified according to their potencies. The two main classifications used by researchers are:

Pluripotent Stem Cells:

These cells can give rise to all cell types, but are only potent during the embryonic stage.
Multipotent Stem Cells:

These cells have limited potency and can only give rise to cells within a tissue type. For example, bone marrow stem cells can become any type of blood cell.

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