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separator">/</span> <span class="breadcrumb-link-wrap"><a class="breadcrumb-link" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/ask-a-scientist/life-sciences/"><span class="breadcrumb-link-text-wrap">Life Sciences</span></a><meta ></span> <span aria-label="breadcrumb separator">/</span> <span class="breadcrumb-current-title">What are Stem Cells?</span></div></div></header><div class="site-inner"><div class="content-sidebar-wrap"><main class="content"><article class="post-99 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-life-sciences tag-stem-cell tag-stem-cell-research tag-what-are-stem-cells entry" aria-label="What are Stem Cells?"><header class="entry-header"><h1 class="entry-title">What are Stem Cells?</h1> <span class="post-info-author"> By <a href="https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/author/askascientiststaff-38/" title="Posts by Ask A Scientist Staff" rel="author">Ask A Scientist Staff</a> </span> <span class="post-info-date"> 11.01.2019 </span> </header><div class="entry-content"><p><img decoding="async" src="https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/ask-a-scientist/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2019/11/banner_20what20are20stem20cells_.png" alt="What are stem cells?" width="600" height="250" style="margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto" /></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/stem-cell-research.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Stem cells</a> are cells that can divide into multiple kinds of other cells. Unlike other cells, stem cells are not  limited to dividing into copies of themselves. Stem cells are formed and differentiate during early embryonic development, and are also a natural part of the tissue renewal processes throughout life.</p> <p>Stem cells roles in early development and tissue renewal make them particularly interesting from a therapeutic standpoint, potentially useful for healing otherwise incurable conditions and injuries.</p> <h2>Types of Stem Cells</h2> <p>Stem cells are categorized based on their <strong>potency</strong>, or the diversity of cell types they can become as they differentiate.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Totipotent</strong> stem cells can divide into all cell types in an organism. A totipotent cell has the potential to divide until it creates an entire, complete organism.</li> <li><strong>Pluripotent</strong> stem cells can divide into most, or all, cell types in an organism, but cannot develop into an entire organism on their own.</li> <li><strong>Multipotent</strong> stem cells can differentiate into the various cell types in a family of related cells, such as blood cells. Sometimes, they divide into <strong>oligopotent </strong>cells as an intermediate step. Oligopotent cells are similar to multipotent cells, but become less able to differentiate. </li> </ul> <p>In most vertebrates, totipotent and pluripotent stem cells are very rare, occurring in abundance only during embryonic development. Therefor, these cells are often called “embryonic stem cells,” in contrast to “adult stem cells” such as the multipotent stem cells found in bone marrow.</p> <p>Totipotent and pluripotent stem cells are a critical part of embryonic development and show how the single cell of a zygote can develop into every distinct tissue and cell type found in an organism. Many healing processes instead rely on multipotent stem cells, or basic cell division. </p> <h2>Stem Cells in Medicine</h2> <p>Stem cells are of interest in medicine because many organs have a very limited capacity to heal.</p> <p>For example, when a nerve or heart-muscle cell dies, the body often has no way to replace these highly specialized cells. These cells do not divide in the same way as skin cells and other highly replaceable cells. There is also no supply of pluripotent cells ready to take on this role. Therfore, injuries to some organs or tissues are permanent. Even in tissues that can heal, the healing process often creates scar tissue that impedes long-term function.</p> <p>Similarly, some diseases such as type 2 diabetes and AIDS, target specific cells types, limiting their ability to replenish themselves by cell division. </p> <p>Stem cells provide the possibility of replenishing cells that have been damaged or lost, thereby restoring functions that the body cannot restore on its own.  This is in part how some vertebrates manage limb regeneration.</p> <h3>Stem Cell Therapy</h3> <p>Stem cell-based medical procedures are not as new as their controversial status makes them seem.</p> <p>Bone marrow transplant is a form of stem cell therapy.</p> <p>Bone marrow is home to multipotent stem cells which produce blood cells, and a bone marrow transplant gives the recipient an entirely new selection of blood cells over time.</p> <p>This is lifesaving for patients whose original blood cells were destroyed, such as in the aftermath of leukemia treatment. Future stem cell therapies make similar promises for other tissues.</p> <h2>Stem Cell Research</h2> <p>Some of the most promising research into stem cells is based on “induced” stem cells.</p> <p>This concept hinges on the fact that stem and most other cells have the same genetic code. The code is utilized differently in different cell types. Epigenetic modifications are used to dictate which genes are active in each unique cell type. These modifications are changeable over the course of a cell’s life.</p> <p>Returning those epigenetic markers from those of a final, differentiated cell type to those of a pluripotent or even totipotent cell is known as dedifferentiation. If successful, this would cause the cell to behave as a stem cell thereafter. Not only that, but unlike cells used in transplants or derived from embryos, these “induced” stem cells could be produced from and returned to the same person, thereby effectively bypassing the immune response to foreign stem cells.</p> <p>Researchers continue to explore the possibility that embryonic, adult and “induced” stem cells can offer a new avenue of treatment for a variety of illnesses. The cells offer hope for a new frontier in regenerative medicine. </p> <p>For more information about stem cells, visit <a href="https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/stem-cell-research.html?cid=corp_ask-a-scientist_blog_0919" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">our learning center here</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/stem-cell-research.html?cid=corp_ask-a-scientist_blog_0919" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img decoding="async" src="https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/ask-a-scientist/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2019/11/cta_20what20are20stem20cells_.png" alt="Stem cell resources" width="560" height="315" style="margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto" /></a></p> <aside class="mashsb-container mashsb-main "><div class="mashsb_above_buttons">Share this article </div><div class="mashsb-box"><div class="mashsb-count mash-large" style="float:left"><div class="counts mashsbcount">532</div><span class="mashsb-sharetext">SHARES</span></div><div class="mashsb-buttons"><a class="mashicon-facebook mash-large mashsb-noshadow" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thermofisher.com%2Fblog%2Fask-a-scientist%2Fwhat-are-stem-cells%2F" target="_top" rel="nofollow"><span class="icon"></span><span class="text">Facebook</span></a><a class="mashicon-twitter mash-large mashsb-noshadow" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=What%20are%20Stem%20Cells%3F&url=https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/ask-a-scientist/?p=99&via=thermofisher" target="_top" rel="nofollow"><span class="icon"></span><span class="text">Twitter</span></a><div class="onoffswitch2 mash-large mashsb-noshadow" style="display:none"></div></div> </div> <div style="clear:both"></div><div class="mashsb-toggle-container"></div></aside>  </div></article><div class="entry-comments" id="comments"><h3>Comments</h3><ol class="comment-list"> <li class="comment even thread-even depth-1" id="comment-24"> <article id="article-comment-24"> <header class="comment-header"> <p class="comment-author"> <img alt='' src='httpss://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1b52e9e4165c969e7abbd892d7b3915d?s=48&d=mm&r=g' srcset='httpss://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1b52e9e4165c969e7abbd892d7b3915d?s=96&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-48 photo' height='48' width='48' loading='lazy' decoding='async'/><span class="comment-author-name">Dr. David Greene</span> <span class="says">says</span> </p> <p class="comment-meta"><time class="comment-time"><a class="comment-time-link" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/ask-a-scientist/what-are-stem-cells/#comment-24">January 22, 2020 at 8:59 am</a></time></p> </header> <div class="comment-content"> <p>Thank you for elaborating on details and specifying the types of cells. Individuals thinks that Stem cell treatments are bogus because they are unaware of truth and this post will clear their questions about the therapies.</p> </div> <div class="comment-reply"><a rel='nofollow' class='comment-reply-link' href='#comment-24' data-commentid="24" data-postid="99" data-belowelement="article-comment-24" data-respondelement="respond" data-replyto="Reply to Dr. David Greene" aria-label='Reply to Dr. David Greene'>Reply</a></div> </article> </li> </ol></div> <div id="respond" class="comment-respond"> <h3 id="reply-title" class="comment-reply-title">Leave a Reply <small><a rel="nofollow" id="cancel-comment-reply-link" href="/ask-a-scientist/what-are-stem-cells/?cid=bid_clb_gbo_r02_us_cp1610_pjt12011_col026956_0wm_tfs_xl_awa_og_s00_GwG_ipsc_blog#respond" style="display:none;">Cancel reply</a></small></h3><form action="https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/ask-a-scientist/wp-comments-post.php" method="post" id="commentform" class="comment-form" novalidate><p class="comment-notes"><span id="email-notes">Your email address will not be published.</span> <span class="required-field-message">Required fields are marked <span class="required">*</span></span></p><p class="comment-form-comment"><label for="comment">Comment <span class="required">*</span></label> <textarea id="comment" name="comment" cols="45" rows="8" maxlength="65525" required></textarea></p><p class="comment-form-author"><label for="author">Name <span class="required">*</span></label> <input id="author" name="author" type="text" value="" size="30" maxlength="245" autocomplete="name" required /></p> <p class="comment-form-email"><label for="email">Email <span class="required">*</span></label> <input id="email" name="email" type="email" value="" size="30" maxlength="100" aria-describedby="email-notes" autocomplete="email" required /></p> <p class="comment-form-url"><label for="url">Website</label> <input id="url" name="url" type="url" value="" size="30" maxlength="200" autocomplete="url" /></p> <p class="comment-form-cookies-consent"><input id="wp-comment-cookies-consent" name="wp-comment-cookies-consent" type="checkbox" value="yes" /> <label for="wp-comment-cookies-consent">Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.</label></p> <p class="form-submit"><input name="submit" type="submit" id="submit" class="submit" value="Post Comment" /> <input type='hidden' name='comment_post_ID' value='99' id='comment_post_ID' /> <input type='hidden' name='comment_parent' id='comment_parent' value='0' /> </p><p style="display: none;"><input type="hidden" id="akismet_comment_nonce" name="akismet_comment_nonce" value="31d49e8860" /></p><p style="display: none !important;" class="akismet-fields-container" data-prefix="ak_"><label>Δ<textarea name="ak_hp_textarea" cols="45" rows="8" maxlength="100"></textarea></label><input type="hidden" id="ak_js_2" name="ak_js" value="105"/><script>document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );</script></p></form> </div> <div class="adjacent-entry-pagination pagination"><div class="pagination-previous alignleft"><i class="fa fa-icon fa-chevron-left"></i> <a href="https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/ask-a-scientist/what-is-chromatography/" rel="prev">What is Chromatography and How Does it Work?</a></div><div class="pagination-next alignright"><a href="https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/ask-a-scientist/what-is-cancer/" rel="next">What is Cancer?</a> <i class="fa fa-icon fa-chevron-right"></i></div></div></main></div></div><footer class="site-footer"><div class="wrap"><div class="creds"><p class="footer-links"><a href="https://corporate.thermofisher.com/en/footer/privacy-statement.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Privacy Statement</a><a href="https://corporate.thermofisher.com/en/footer/terms-and-conditions.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Terms & Conditions</a><a href="/blog/locations/">Locations</a><a href="/blog/sitemap/">Sitemap</a></p><p>© 2024 <a href="https://www.thermofisher.com">Thermo Fisher Scientific</a>. 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