Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. Serving as a sort of repair system for the body and organs, they can theoretically divide without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential to either remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.
Stem cells have two major features that separate them from other different types of cells. Firstly, that they are unspecialized cells that activate one another for long periods via cell division. Secondly, stem cells can undergo detailed physiological and/or under certain experimental conditions, they can be activated to become cells with really extraordinary functions. These can include; cells of the heart muscles or even like insulin generating beta-cells of the organ pancreas.
Scientists initially worked with two categories of stem cells derived from animals and humans namely the embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Both have separate functions and features and both have been extensively studied. Researchers established ways to acquire or use stem cells from premature mouse embryos as early as 20 years ago. Two decades of extensive research in this area of biology of mouse stem cells led to the discovery of how to separate stem cells from human embryos and grow the cells in the lab. Today they have been named as human embryonic stem cells. The embryos used in the research were created for infertility cases in the process of in-vitro fertilisation methods. With the counselled agreement of the donor if they were no longer required for that motive, they were donated for experiment.
Today Stem cells are one of the most striking areas of biological science. But like many growing areas of scientific research, it has been heavily debated and research on stem cells raises scientific queries as almost immediately as it sets off new discoveries.
