They’re used by the body to repair and replace damaged tissue in the same area in which they are found.įor example, hematopoietic stem cells are a type of adult stem cell found in bone marrow. These stem cells come from developed organs and tissues in the body. Non-embryonic (adult) stem cellsĪdult stem cells have a misleading name, because they are also found in infants and children. These cells can give rise to virtually any other type of cell in the body. Embryonic stem cells are known as pluripotent stem cells. This involves fertilizing an embryo in a laboratory instead of inside the female body. They are harvested during a process called in-vitro fertilization. Embryonic stem cellsĮmbryonic stem cells come from human embryos that are three to five days old. There are several types of stem cells that can be used for different purposes. When a stem cell divides, it can either remain a stem cell or turn into a differentiated cell, such as a muscle cell or a red blood cell. Other cells in the body can only replicate a limited number of times before they begin to break down. They have the ability to divide and make an indefinite number of copies of themselves. Stem cells are cells that haven’t differentiated yet.
Eventually, the cells begin to differentiate, taking on a certain function in a part of the body.
The zygote divides into two cells, then four cells, and so on.
This cell is called a zygote, or a fertilized egg. For example, red blood cells are specifically designed to carry oxygen through the blood.Īll humans start out as only one cell. These cells can only serve a specific purpose in a particular organ. Most cells in the body are differentiated cells. This means they’re capable of developing into cells that serve numerous functions in different parts of the body. Stem cells are undifferentiated, or “blank,” cells.
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