Are there different types of cell stems?
Yes, there are 2 main types of stem cells – embryonic and adult. Adult stem cells Adult cells are the ones which exist in our bodies at this time and are used to replace the cells which die off or are damaged each day. An example of these would be the adult cell stems found in bone marrow which develop into and replace dying blood cells. Adult cell stems are restricted in that they have the physiology to develop only into a specialized group of cells – e.g. blood cells. Embryonic stem cells Embryonic stem cells which as its name suggests, are stem cells found in embryos. These cells can develop into any type of cell found in the human body. It is for this reason that embryonic cell stem research has such greater potential than adult cell stem study. Where do scientists obtain embryonic stem cells? Infertility clinics deal with tens of thousands of embryos each year by means of in vitro fertilization procedures. When no longer required they can be donated to researchers with the consent
