Do all adult tissues and organs have stem cells?
This is not known for certain and is an active area of research. It has long been thought that nerves, such as the spinal cord and brain, heart and kidney are examples of organs that do not contain a reservoir of stem cells. It is possible, however, that these organs and tissues do have a small reservoir of stem cells that may be encouraged to multiply if the right conditions were known. Whether or not sufficient numbers can be produced to cure such problems as Parkinson’s Disease and Heart Failure is not known.
Related Questions
- Sources for adult stem cells from somatic tissues: bone marrow, blood, skin, fat, muscle, liver, brain, cornea, retina, pancreas, and lining of gastrointestinal tract. Are these multi- or pluripotent?
- Can fetal stem cells repair adult organs and tissues?
- Do all adult tissues and organs have stem cells?
