What is the difference between adult and embryonic stem cells with regard to the types of cells each subset generates?
Adult stem cells, which are found throughout the body, can be considered as a set of young cells. These cells can self-renew indicating that their numbers are maintained throughout life. The day-to-day function of an adult stem cell is to maintain, replenish and repair many tissues of the body. Embryonic stem cells, on the other hand, function to produce all the tissues of the body during development.
Related Questions
- Why do researchers need embryonic stem cells now that they can reprogram adult skin cells to create induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, which mimic embryonic stem cells?
- What is the difference between adult and embryonic stem cells with regard to the types of cells each subset generates?
- How can embryonic stem cells be used to target particular diseases or types of organ cells?
