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Stem Cell |
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that may be triggered to proliferate and differentiate under appropriate physiological conditions. Stem cells are characterized by an ability to replicate and differentiate into more than one specific cell type. There is considerable variation in the capacity to differentiate into different cell types, ranging from totopotent (or pluripotent) stem cells that can differentiate into any cell of the body to multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into only a limited number of cell types that are usually characteristic of the tissue of origin. For example, hematopoietic stem cells within bone marrow can differentiate into different types of blood cells only. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent stem cells located within the inner cell mass of the embryonic blastocyst that can differentiate into any type of cell. There are ethical and religious issues associated with the use of embryonic stem cells since this usually involves sacrifice of an embryo. Vitro is focused on adult stem cells, which refers to all other stem cells that are not derived from an embryol. Stem cells are generally divided into adult and embryonic classes.
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Native human MSC cells (Catalog No. SC00A1) are shown in culture and the arrow shows differentiated chondrocytes, cartilage producing cells that are important to joint function. Stem cell therapy may provide novel treatments for osteoarthritis and recovery from joint injury including lesions of the anterior cruciate ligament. |
Adult stem cells are known to exist in several tissues, including bone marrow, which is perhaps the best known source, umbilical cord blood, fat tissues, and within most other tissues as well. Adult stem cells are critical to life. For example, hematopoietic stem cells of the bone marrow are responsible for generation 200 billion red blood cells per day or 1% of the total red blood cell population in healthy human beings. It is thus clear that stem cell function is absolutely essential to survival.
We have recently introduced “Tools for Stem Cell and Drug Development™” and the current listing of these products is located elsewhere in this site ( PRODUCTS ). These products are designed to support stem cell and cancer research specifically targeting mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are adult stem cells that differentiate into several tissue-specific cells, such as collagen, bone & fat cells as well as others.