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Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the capability to differentiate.
The term 'differentiate' means the potential the cell has to develop into other cell types.
Totipotent stem cells are able to divide into all cell types in an organism, including zygotes and embryonic membranes. Pluripotent stem cells have the potential to differentiate into endoderm cells (such as inner stomach lining), mesoderm cells (such as muscle, bone and blood) or ectoderm cells (such as the epithelial tissue and the nervous system). Multipotent stem cells found in the bone marrow has gene activation possibilities to become multiple (but limited) cells. Unipotent stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into one other specialised cell type.
Stem cells can be categorised into two types: Adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells.
Adult stem cells are found in the brain, bone marrow, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, skin, teeth, heart, gut, liver and some organs and tissues. They are less versatile than embryonic stem cells, as embryonic stem cells have potential to differentiate into almost all cells in the body.
Treatment:
Stem cells can be used in treatment to help patients. Leukaemia, a cancer where abnormally large amounts of white blood cells are caused to be produced from the bone marrow, is tackled against with the process of chemotherapy. Although this kills all cancerous and mutated cells, it leaves the bone marrow unable to produce white blood cells afterwards. This is why stem cells are extracted from the patient before treatment, so that it can be re-entered into the body in order to form blood cells.
Stargardt's disease (Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy) is a recessive genetic condition that causes the transport protein to malfunction. This causes vision to worsen and eventually blind victims.
Stem cells are therefore used to improve vision. It's injected into the eyes so that retina cells can be developed.
The term 'differentiate' means the potential the cell has to develop into other cell types.
Totipotent stem cells are able to divide into all cell types in an organism, including zygotes and embryonic membranes. Pluripotent stem cells have the potential to differentiate into endoderm cells (such as inner stomach lining), mesoderm cells (such as muscle, bone and blood) or ectoderm cells (such as the epithelial tissue and the nervous system). Multipotent stem cells found in the bone marrow has gene activation possibilities to become multiple (but limited) cells. Unipotent stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into one other specialised cell type.
Stem cells can be categorised into two types: Adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells.
Adult stem cells are found in the brain, bone marrow, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, skin, teeth, heart, gut, liver and some organs and tissues. They are less versatile than embryonic stem cells, as embryonic stem cells have potential to differentiate into almost all cells in the body.
Treatment:
Stem cells can be used in treatment to help patients. Leukaemia, a cancer where abnormally large amounts of white blood cells are caused to be produced from the bone marrow, is tackled against with the process of chemotherapy. Although this kills all cancerous and mutated cells, it leaves the bone marrow unable to produce white blood cells afterwards. This is why stem cells are extracted from the patient before treatment, so that it can be re-entered into the body in order to form blood cells.
Stargardt's disease (Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy) is a recessive genetic condition that causes the transport protein to malfunction. This causes vision to worsen and eventually blind victims.
Stem cells are therefore used to improve vision. It's injected into the eyes so that retina cells can be developed.