what is stem cell?

Answer 1

stem cells are primal cells common to all multi-cellular organisms that retain the ability to renew themselves through cell division and can differentiate into a wide range of specialized cell types. Research in the human stem cell field grew out of findings by Canadian scientists Ernest A. McCulloch and James E. Till in the 1960s.[1][2]

The two broad categories of mammalian stem cells exist: embryonic stem cells, derived from blastocysts, and adult stem cells, which are found in adult tissues. In a developing embryo, stem cells are able to differentiate into all of the specialized embryonic tissues. In adult organisms, stem cells and progenitor cells act as a repair system for the body, replenishing specialized cells.

As stem cells can be readily grown and transformed into specialised tissues such as muscles or nerves through cell culture, their use in medical therapies has been proposed. In particular, embryonic cell lines, autologous embryonic stem cells generated through therapeutic cloning, and highly plastic adult stem cells from the umbilical cord blood or bone marrow are touted as promising candidates

Answer 2

These are master cells of the body that have the ability of self renewal and differentiation.The major sources include embryonic(use in research is much debated), fetal, adult and more recently from umbilical cord blood.
These stem cells are currently being employed to treat a variety of blood related diseases. Research is also focussing on the use of these cells for the treatment of several life-threatening diseases, disorders and injuries like stroke, diabetes etc.

Answer 3

Adult stem cells are undifferentiated or unspecialized cells that are found embedded in specialized tissue. Adult stem cells are capable of making identical copies of themselves for the lifetime of the organism. They can form themselves into specialized cells that match the tissues from which they originate, thereby regenerating from within. For example, stem cells taken from bone marrow can give rise to new blood cells even after they are transplanted elsewhere. There is evidence that adult stem cells have even greater potential than this and that they may be used to generate many more cell types than just the cells of the organ from which they were removed. This raises the hope that in the future, for example, stem cells isolated from a patient’s bone marrow could be used to repair other organs such as the heart or the inner ear. Recently, stem cells have been found in the adult inner ear and it remains to be seen whether stimulation of such internal stem cells could be an option to restore hearing in patients.

The potential of stem cell research is enormous. At a basic level, stem cells can help us further understand the development and mechanisms of the human body. Beyond this is the field of drug research and pharmacology, in which drugs can be applied directly to cells generated from human stem cells thus eliminating the need for years of testing before a potentially useful drug can be introduced on the market.

At a more visionary level, the ability to restore any type of cell could be the ultimate panacea. Stem cells may be vital to help us generate cell types or tissues that have been destroyed by disease or trauma. By transplanting specialized cells generated from stem cells we could restore vital body parts and functions. In the next decades, we expect that stem cells will be used for treating a large number of diseases, including chronic heart failure, diabetes, end-stage kidney disease, liver failure and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, hearing and vision loss and spinal cord injury.

Answer 4

A cell that allows other types of cells to develop on. Cells all evolve from stem cells.

Answer 5

stem cells are undifferentiated cells, which can develop in to any form of cells,

Answer 6

a cell that upon division replaces its own numbers and also gives rise to cells that differentiate further into one or more specialized types, as various B cells and T cells.

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