Cord Blood Stem Cells Information

Stem cells?

hi, the person who can answer this best can get 10 points. I need to know the difference between these stem cells, potential, how are they extracted, plus they are all different early embryonic stem cells blastocyst embryonic stem cells fetals stem cells umbilical cord stem cells adult stem cells thank you

Public Comments

There are no differences between stem cells, stem cells are cells that can become any kind of cells except for cancer cells
The first 4 just denote into what cells they proliferate into in a specific bodily section. More or less they are the same but every cell that we possess is derived from stem cells.
stem cells are stem cells. Our body constantly makes them. I would believe that they are extracted in blood or bone marrow. All stem cells can become other cells. If you get a cut, for example, stem cells are triggered to become skin cells and that is how you heal. The differences in the ones above are when they are extracted and where they are extracted from in the life cycle.
Embryonic stem cells. These stem cells come from embryos that are four to five days old. At this stage, an embryo is called a blastocyst and has about 50 to 150 cells. These are pluripotent (ploo-RIP-o-tunt) stem cells, meaning they can divide into more stem cells or they can specialize and become any type of body cell. In this way, embryonic stem cells have the highest potential for use to regenerate or repair diseased tissue and organs in people. Adult stem cells. These stem cells are found in small numbers in most adult tissues, such as bone marrow. Adult stem cells are also found in children and in placentas and umbilical cords. Because of that, a more precise term for these cells is somatic stem cell, meaning "of the body." Until recently, it was felt that adult stem cells could only create similar types of cells. For instance, it was thought that stem cells residing in the bone marrow could give rise only to blood cells. However, a controversial new theory suggests that adult stem cells may be more versatile than previously thought and able to create unrelated types of cells after all. For instance, bone marrow stem cells may be able to create muscle cells. This research is in the very early stages. Adult cells altered to have properties of embryonic stem cells. In late 2007 two groups of researchers reported they had created stem cells from skin cells in laboratory studies. By altering the genes in the skin cells, researchers were able to reprogram the cells to act similarly to embryonic stem cells. While this new technique may help researchers avoid the controversies that come with embryonic stem cells, more research is needed. The technique of altering adult cells involves processes that may not be safe for use in people. And whether this new type of stem cells can be as useful as embryonic stem cells remains to be seen. Embryonic germ cells. These are stem cells that come from areas within an embryo or fetus that are destined to become either the testicles or ovaries. Like embryonic stem cells, embryonic germ cells can become any type of cell. Less research has been done on embryonic germ cells because the embryos used to obtain them must be aborted. In addition, these cells tend to differentiate spontaneously, so they may be more difficult to use in a controlled manner. Amniotic fluid stem cells. Researchers have also discovered stem cells in amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid fills the sac that surrounds and protects a developing fetus in the uterus. Researchers identified stem cells in samples of amniotic fluid drawn from pregnant women during a procedure called amniocentesis. During this test, a doctor inserts a long, thin needle into a pregnant woman's abdomen to collect amniotic fluid. The fluid can be tested for abnormalities, such as Down syndrome, and is generally considered safe for the developing fetus and the mother. Researchers were able to use amniocentesis fluid to identify stem cells that could develop into several other types of cells. More study of amniotic fluid stem cells is needed to understand their potential.