What are adult stem cells?
Adult stem cells retain the ability to differentiate into various tissues of the body. Unlike embryonic stem cells, those from adult tissues are restricted in the number of different tissues that they can become. A subset of adult stem cells termed Mesenchymal precursor cells (MPCs) is able to transform into tissues including bone, cartilage, and heart. MPCs have been shown in clinical and preclinical trials to improve function in a variety of orthopaedic and cardiovascular diseases.
An adult stem cell is an Undifferentiated cell found among differentiated cells in a tissue or organ, can renew itself, and can differentiate to yield the major specialized cell types of the tissue or organ. The primary roles of adult Stem Cells in a living organism are to maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found. Some scientists now use the term somatic stem cell instead of adult stem cell. Unlike Embryonic Stem Cells, which are defined by their origin (the inner cell mass of the Blastocyst), the origin of adult stem cells in mature tissues is unknown. Research on adult stem cells has recently generated a great deal of excitement. Scientists have found adult stem cells in many more tissues than they once thought possible. This finding has led scientists to ask whether adult stem cells could be used for transplants. In fact, adult blood forming stem cells from bone marrow have been used in transplants for 30 years. Certain kinds of adult stem cells seem to have the abilit
Adult stem cells retain the ability to differentiate into various tissues of the body. Unlike embryonic stem cells, those from adult tissues are restricted in the number of different tissues that they can become. A subset of adult stem cells termed mesenchymal precursor cells (MPCs) is able to transform into tissues including heart muscle, blood vessels, bone, cartilage, and. MPCs have been shown in animal models to improve function in a variety of cardiovascular diseases.
From a purely scientific standpoint, technically all stem cells other than those derived from embryos are adult stem cells. Even umbilical cord and placenta blood stem cells are scientifically defined as adult stem cells even though they are harvested from newborns following the birth procedure. Stem cells derived from bone marrow, adult peripheral blood, adipose tissue and other body tissues are also referred to as adult stem cells.
An adult stem cell is thought to be an undifferentiated cell, found among differentiated cells in a tissue or organ that can renew itself and can differentiate to yield some or all of the major specialized cell types of the tissue or organ. The primary roles of adult stem cells in a living organism are to maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found. Scientists also use the term somatic stem cell instead of adult stem cell, where somatic refers to cells of the body (not the germ cells, sperm or eggs). Unlike embryonic stem cells, which are defined by their origin (the inner cell mass of the blastocyst), the origin of adult stem cells in some mature tissues is still under investigation. Research on adult stem cells has generated a great deal of excitement. Scientists have found adult stem cells in many more tissues than they once thought possible. This finding has led researchers and clinicians to ask whether adult stem cells could be used for transplants. In fact, adult hemat
