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A vast amount of people were excited about scientists finding cures to diseases with the use of stem cells, but not everyone was happy. Some people do not agree with the destruction of human embryos, they believe it is morally incorrect. Many questions were brought up, such as "Is a human embryo equivalent to a human child?" or "Does a human embryo have any rights?" The U.S. Government created rules to justify the research. They made it illegal to create new embryos, so the scientists receive excess embryos from fertility clinics.

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Regulations and policies change frequently to keep up with the pace of research, as well as to reflect the views of different political parties. Here President Obama signs an executive order on stem cells, reversing some limits on federal research funding. (White House photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Governments around the globe have passed legislation to regulate stem cell research. In the United States, laws prohibit the creation of embryos for research purposes. Scientists instead receive "leftover" embryos from fertility clinics with consent from donors. Most people agree that these guidelines are appropriate.

Disagreements surface, however, when political parties debate about how to fund stem cell research. The federal government allocates billions of dollars each year to biomedical research. But should taxpayer dollars be used to fund embryo and stem cell research when some believe it to be unethical? Legislators have had the unique challenge of encouraging advances in science and medicine while preserving a respect for life.

U.S. President Bush, for example, limited federal funding to a study of 70 or so hES cell lines back in 2001. While this did slow the destruction of human embryos, many believe the restrictions set back the progress of stem cell research.

President Obama overturned Bush's stem cell policy in 2009 to expand the number of stem cell lines available to researchers. Policy-makers are now grappling with a new question: Should the laws that govern other types of pluripotent stem cells differ from those for hES cells? If so, what new legislation is needed?

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Governments around the globe have passed legislation to regulate stem cell research. In the United States, laws prohibit the creation of embryos for research purposes. Scientists instead receive "leftover" embryos from fertility clinics with consent from donors. Most people agree that these guidelines are appropriate.

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Receive a medication called filgrastim, which moves the stem cells from bone marrow into  peripheral blood

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This information describes the procedure for donating peripheral blood stem cells at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK).

Stem cells are immature cells that produce all of the blood cells in your body-the white blood cells that fight infection, red blood cells that carry oxygen, and platelets that stop you from bleeding. Peripheral blood is the blood that circulates in your blood vessels, and includes every type of blood cell.

Peripheral stem cell harvesting is the procedure used to collect some of the stem cells in your blood. When stem cells are taken from a donor, it's called allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell harvesting. These cells will then be given to a patient in a peripheral blood stem cell transplant. The cells that you donate will grow, mature, and replace the patient's destroyed cells.

Before Your Procedure

Stem cell mobilization and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor injections

There are only a small number of stem cells circulating in your blood. To increase the number of stem cells in your bloodstream, you will receive injections (shots) of a medication called granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF). GCSF causes your body to make more stem cells than usual. It also encourages the stem cells to move into your bloodstream, where they can be collected more easily. This process is called mobilization. GCSF medications include filgrastim (Neupogen ®) and plerixafor (Mozobil ®). You will need either filgrastim alone or filgrastim and plerixafor. Your nurse will review which injections you will need.

You can either be taught to do the injections yourself or you can discuss other arrangements with your nurse. If you're doing the injections yourself, your nurse will give you the resource Giving Yourself an Injection of Filgrastim (Neupogen) or Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta) with a Prefilled Syringe. You must store these medications in the refrigerator. The injections of filgrastim (Neupogen) will be every day for about 5 to 6 days. If you're asked to take plerixafor, those injections will be every day for 1 to 4 days.

Common side effects of these medications include bone pain in your sternum, arms, legs, and lower back. They can also cause headaches and flu-like symptoms. Either regular or extra strength acetaminophen (Tylenol ®) may relieve these side effects. If acetaminophen doesn't help, your doctor will prescribe something stronger.

Central venous catheter placement

Before we collect your stem cells, a nurse from our donor room will check your veins to make sure that they're healthy enough for the procedure. If your veins aren't healthy enough, you will have a central venous catheter (CVC) inserted into a large vein near your collarbone. The CVC will be used during the procedure and will be removed once your collection is complete. Your nurse will teach you how to care for it and will give you written information.

What to eat

As your stem cells are collected, your blood calcium levels may drop. We recommend that you eat dairy products and other foods that are rich in calcium (cheese, milk or ice cream). This will help to raise the calcium levels in your blood.

The Day of Your Procedure

Where to go

The harvesting procedure is done in the Blood Donor Room. The Blood Donor Room is located at:

MSK Schwartz Building Lobby
1250 First Avenue (between East 67 th and East 68 th Streets)
New York, NY 10065
212-639-7643

You will have appointments 2 days in a row. Each harvesting session usually takes 3 to 4 hours. On these days, you will get the dose of filgrastim at least 1 hour before your appointment.

What to expect

The harvesting is done while you're on a bed or in a recliner chair. You will be connected to a machine either by IV tubes in your arms or by your CVC. Blood will be drawn through the IV line or CVC and circulate through the machine. The machine will collect your stem cells and the rest of your blood will be returned to you.

If you wish, you can watch TV or read during your procedure. A family member or friend may sit with you. You might feel cold during the procedure, so blankets will be available to make you comfortable.

As your stem cells are collected, you may have:

Muscle cramps

Twitching

A tingling sensation around your lips and fingertips

These are signs of low calcium levels in your blood. The staff in the Donor Room will give you calcium carbonate in the form of Tums ®, which are a quick and easy source of calcium.

After Your Procedure

After your procedure, if IV lines were placed in your arm(s), you will have a bandage on your arm to prevent bleeding. Leave the bandage in place for at least 3 hours, but not more than 5 hours. If your CVC was used, it will be flushed and recapped.

If there is bleeding when you remove the bandages, apply gentle but firm pressure on the site(s) for 3 to 5 minutes. Call your doctor if the bleeding doesn't stop.

Ask your doctor when you an return to your regular activities. Most people can go back to their regular activities the day of or the day after the donation.

This information describes the procedure for donating peripheral blood stem cells at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK).

Stem cells are immature cells that produce all of the blood cells in your body-the white blood cells that fight infection, red blood cells that carry oxygen, and platelets that stop you from bleeding. Peripheral blood is the blood that circulates in your blood vessels, and includes every type of blood cell.

Peripheral stem cell harvesting is the procedure used to collect some of the stem cells in your blood. When stem cells are taken from a donor, it's called allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell harvesting. These cells will then be given to a patient in a peripheral blood stem cell transplant. The cells that you donate will grow, mature, and replace the patient's destroyed cells.

Before Your Procedure

Stem cell mobilization and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor injections

There are only a small number of stem cells circulating in your blood. To increase the number of stem cells in your bloodstream, you will receive injections (shots) of a medication called granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF). GCSF causes your body to make more stem cells than usual. It also encourages the stem cells to move into your bloodstream, where they can be collected more easily. This process is called mobilization. GCSF medications include filgrastim (Neupogen ®) and plerixafor (Mozobil ®). You will need either filgrastim alone or filgrastim and plerixafor. Your nurse will review which injections you will need.

You can either be taught to do the injections yourself or you can discuss other arrangements with your nurse. If you're doing the injections yourself, your nurse will give you the resource Giving Yourself an Injection of Filgrastim (Neupogen) or Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta) with a Prefilled Syringe. You must store these medications in the refrigerator. The injections of filgrastim (Neupogen) will be every day for about 5 to 6 days. If you're asked to take plerixafor, those injections will be every day for 1 to 4 days.

Common side effects of these medications include bone pain in your sternum, arms, legs, and lower back. They can also cause headaches and flu-like symptoms. Either regular or extra strength acetaminophen (Tylenol ®) may relieve these side effects. If acetaminophen doesn't help, your doctor will prescribe something stronger.

Central venous catheter placement

Before we collect your stem cells, a nurse from our donor room will check your veins to make sure that they're healthy enough for the procedure. If your veins aren't healthy enough, you will have a central venous catheter (CVC) inserted into a large vein near your collarbone. The CVC will be used during the procedure and will be removed once your collection is complete. Your nurse will teach you how to care for it and will give you written information.

What to eat

As your stem cells are collected, your blood calcium levels may drop. We recommend that you eat dairy products and other foods that are rich in calcium (cheese, milk or ice cream). This will help to raise the calcium levels in your blood.

The Day of Your Procedure

Where to go

The harvesting procedure is done in the Blood Donor Room. The Blood Donor Room is located at:

MSK Schwartz Building Lobby
1250 First Avenue (between East 67 th and East 68 th Streets)
New York, NY 10065
212-639-7643

You will have appointments 2 days in a row. Each harvesting session usually takes 3 to 4 hours. On these days, you will get the dose of filgrastim at least 1 hour before your appointment.

What to expect

The harvesting is done while you're on a bed or in a recliner chair. You will be connected to a machine either by IV tubes in your arms or by your CVC. Blood will be drawn through the IV line or CVC and circulate through the machine. The machine will collect your stem cells and the rest of your blood will be returned to you.

If you wish, you can watch TV or read during your procedure. A family member or friend may sit with you. You might feel cold during the procedure, so blankets will be available to make you comfortable.

As your stem cells are collected, you may have:

Muscle cramps

Twitching

A tingling sensation around your lips and fingertips

These are signs of low calcium levels in your blood. The staff in the Donor Room will give you calcium carbonate in the form of Tums ®, which are a quick and easy source of calcium.

After Your Procedure

After your procedure, if IV lines were placed in your arm(s), you will have a bandage on your arm to prevent bleeding. Leave the bandage in place for at least 3 hours, but not more than 5 hours. If your CVC was used, it will be flushed and recapped.

If there is bleeding when you remove the bandages, apply gentle but firm pressure on the site(s) for 3 to 5 minutes. Call your doctor if the bleeding doesn't stop.

Ask your doctor when you an return to your regular activities. Most people can go back to their regular activities the day of or the day after the donation.

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Allogeneic Donor Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Harvesting

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This information describes the procedure for donating peripheral blood stem cells at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK). Stem cells are immature cells that produce all of the blood cells in your body-the white blood cells that fight infection, red blood cells that carry oxygen, and platelets that stop you from bleeding.

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Depending on the amount of cells being harvested the procedure takes 3-4 hours for 2-3 days.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This information describes the procedure for donating peripheral blood stem cells at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK).

Stem cells are immature cells that produce all of the blood cells in your body-the white blood cells that fight infection, red blood cells that carry oxygen, and platelets that stop you from bleeding. Peripheral blood is the blood that circulates in your blood vessels, and includes every type of blood cell.

Peripheral stem cell harvesting is the procedure used to collect some of the stem cells in your blood. When stem cells are taken from a donor, it's called allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell harvesting. These cells will then be given to a patient in a peripheral blood stem cell transplant. The cells that you donate will grow, mature, and replace the patient's destroyed cells.

Before Your Procedure

Stem cell mobilization and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor injections

There are only a small number of stem cells circulating in your blood. To increase the number of stem cells in your bloodstream, you will receive injections (shots) of a medication called granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF). GCSF causes your body to make more stem cells than usual. It also encourages the stem cells to move into your bloodstream, where they can be collected more easily. This process is called mobilization. GCSF medications include filgrastim (Neupogen ®) and plerixafor (Mozobil ®). You will need either filgrastim alone or filgrastim and plerixafor. Your nurse will review which injections you will need.

You can either be taught to do the injections yourself or you can discuss other arrangements with your nurse. If you're doing the injections yourself, your nurse will give you the resource Giving Yourself an Injection of Filgrastim (Neupogen) or Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta) with a Prefilled Syringe. You must store these medications in the refrigerator. The injections of filgrastim (Neupogen) will be every day for about 5 to 6 days. If you're asked to take plerixafor, those injections will be every day for 1 to 4 days.

Common side effects of these medications include bone pain in your sternum, arms, legs, and lower back. They can also cause headaches and flu-like symptoms. Either regular or extra strength acetaminophen (Tylenol ®) may relieve these side effects. If acetaminophen doesn't help, your doctor will prescribe something stronger.

Central venous catheter placement

Before we collect your stem cells, a nurse from our donor room will check your veins to make sure that they're healthy enough for the procedure. If your veins aren't healthy enough, you will have a central venous catheter (CVC) inserted into a large vein near your collarbone. The CVC will be used during the procedure and will be removed once your collection is complete. Your nurse will teach you how to care for it and will give you written information.

What to eat

As your stem cells are collected, your blood calcium levels may drop. We recommend that you eat dairy products and other foods that are rich in calcium (cheese, milk or ice cream). This will help to raise the calcium levels in your blood.

The Day of Your Procedure

Where to go

The harvesting procedure is done in the Blood Donor Room. The Blood Donor Room is located at:

MSK Schwartz Building Lobby
1250 First Avenue (between East 67 th and East 68 th Streets)
New York, NY 10065
212-639-7643

You will have appointments 2 days in a row. Each harvesting session usually takes 3 to 4 hours. On these days, you will get the dose of filgrastim at least 1 hour before your appointment.

What to expect

The harvesting is done while you're on a bed or in a recliner chair. You will be connected to a machine either by IV tubes in your arms or by your CVC. Blood will be drawn through the IV line or CVC and circulate through the machine. The machine will collect your stem cells and the rest of your blood will be returned to you.

If you wish, you can watch TV or read during your procedure. A family member or friend may sit with you. You might feel cold during the procedure, so blankets will be available to make you comfortable.

As your stem cells are collected, you may have:

Muscle cramps

Twitching

A tingling sensation around your lips and fingertips

These are signs of low calcium levels in your blood. The staff in the Donor Room will give you calcium carbonate in the form of Tums ®, which are a quick and easy source of calcium.

After Your Procedure

After your procedure, if IV lines were placed in your arm(s), you will have a bandage on your arm to prevent bleeding. Leave the bandage in place for at least 3 hours, but not more than 5 hours. If your CVC was used, it will be flushed and recapped.

If there is bleeding when you remove the bandages, apply gentle but firm pressure on the site(s) for 3 to 5 minutes. Call your doctor if the bleeding doesn't stop.

Ask your doctor when you an return to your regular activities. Most people can go back to their regular activities the day of or the day after the donation.

This information describes the procedure for donating peripheral blood stem cells at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK).

Stem cells are immature cells that produce all of the blood cells in your body-the white blood cells that fight infection, red blood cells that carry oxygen, and platelets that stop you from bleeding. Peripheral blood is the blood that circulates in your blood vessels, and includes every type of blood cell.

Peripheral stem cell harvesting is the procedure used to collect some of the stem cells in your blood. When stem cells are taken from a donor, it's called allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell harvesting. These cells will then be given to a patient in a peripheral blood stem cell transplant. The cells that you donate will grow, mature, and replace the patient's destroyed cells.

Before Your Procedure

Stem cell mobilization and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor injections

There are only a small number of stem cells circulating in your blood. To increase the number of stem cells in your bloodstream, you will receive injections (shots) of a medication called granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF). GCSF causes your body to make more stem cells than usual. It also encourages the stem cells to move into your bloodstream, where they can be collected more easily. This process is called mobilization. GCSF medications include filgrastim (Neupogen ®) and plerixafor (Mozobil ®). You will need either filgrastim alone or filgrastim and plerixafor. Your nurse will review which injections you will need.

You can either be taught to do the injections yourself or you can discuss other arrangements with your nurse. If you're doing the injections yourself, your nurse will give you the resource Giving Yourself an Injection of Filgrastim (Neupogen) or Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta) with a Prefilled Syringe. You must store these medications in the refrigerator. The injections of filgrastim (Neupogen) will be every day for about 5 to 6 days. If you're asked to take plerixafor, those injections will be every day for 1 to 4 days.

Common side effects of these medications include bone pain in your sternum, arms, legs, and lower back. They can also cause headaches and flu-like symptoms. Either regular or extra strength acetaminophen (Tylenol ®) may relieve these side effects. If acetaminophen doesn't help, your doctor will prescribe something stronger.

Central venous catheter placement

Before we collect your stem cells, a nurse from our donor room will check your veins to make sure that they're healthy enough for the procedure. If your veins aren't healthy enough, you will have a central venous catheter (CVC) inserted into a large vein near your collarbone. The CVC will be used during the procedure and will be removed once your collection is complete. Your nurse will teach you how to care for it and will give you written information.

What to eat

As your stem cells are collected, your blood calcium levels may drop. We recommend that you eat dairy products and other foods that are rich in calcium (cheese, milk or ice cream). This will help to raise the calcium levels in your blood.

The Day of Your Procedure

Where to go

The harvesting procedure is done in the Blood Donor Room. The Blood Donor Room is located at:

MSK Schwartz Building Lobby
1250 First Avenue (between East 67 th and East 68 th Streets)
New York, NY 10065
212-639-7643

You will have appointments 2 days in a row. Each harvesting session usually takes 3 to 4 hours. On these days, you will get the dose of filgrastim at least 1 hour before your appointment.

What to expect

The harvesting is done while you're on a bed or in a recliner chair. You will be connected to a machine either by IV tubes in your arms or by your CVC. Blood will be drawn through the IV line or CVC and circulate through the machine. The machine will collect your stem cells and the rest of your blood will be returned to you.

If you wish, you can watch TV or read during your procedure. A family member or friend may sit with you. You might feel cold during the procedure, so blankets will be available to make you comfortable.

As your stem cells are collected, you may have:

Muscle cramps

Twitching

A tingling sensation around your lips and fingertips

These are signs of low calcium levels in your blood. The staff in the Donor Room will give you calcium carbonate in the form of Tums ®, which are a quick and easy source of calcium.

After Your Procedure

After your procedure, if IV lines were placed in your arm(s), you will have a bandage on your arm to prevent bleeding. Leave the bandage in place for at least 3 hours, but not more than 5 hours. If your CVC was used, it will be flushed and recapped.

If there is bleeding when you remove the bandages, apply gentle but firm pressure on the site(s) for 3 to 5 minutes. Call your doctor if the bleeding doesn't stop.

Ask your doctor when you an return to your regular activities. Most people can go back to their regular activities the day of or the day after the donation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Allogeneic Donor Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Harvesting

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This information describes the procedure for donating peripheral blood stem cells at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK). Stem cells are immature cells that produce all of the blood cells in your body-the white blood cells that fight infection, red blood cells that carry oxygen, and platelets that stop you from bleeding.

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Decrease of platelet count, which parts of blood that help with clotting. Some also experience tingling in hands and feet.

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Peripheral Stem Cell Harvest Procedure | Cleveland Clinic

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Find information about peripheral stem cell harvest procedure from the Cleveland Clinic, including donor work up, injection information, and recovery time.

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The first 3-5 days an embryo is called a blastocyst. The stem cells act to give "rise" to the organism, such as the heart, lungs, skin, sperm, eggs and other tissue. In adult tissues like bone marrow, muscle and brain, a small percentage of people generate replacements for cells that are lost over time. They can also treat diabetes and heart disease. Stem cells can replicate multiple times, not just once.

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1. Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important?

2. What are the unique properties of all stem cells?

3. What are embryonic stem cells?

4. What are adult stem cells?

5. What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and adult stem cells?

6. What are induced pluripotent stem cells?

7. What are the potential uses of human stem cells and the obstacles that must be overcome before these potential uses will be realized?

8. Where can I get more information?

I. Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important?

Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.

Stem cells are distinguished from other cell types by two important characteristics. First, they are unspecialized cells capable of renewing themselves through cell division, sometimes after long periods of inactivity. Second, under certain physiologic or experimental conditions, they can be induced to become tissue- or organ-specific cells with special functions. In some organs, such as the gut and bone marrow, stem cells regularly divide to repair and replace worn out or damaged tissues. In other organs, however, such as the pancreas and the heart, stem cells only divide under special conditions.

Until recently, scientists primarily worked with two kinds of stem cells from animals and humans: embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic "somatic" or "adult" stem cells. The functions and characteristics of these cells will be explained in this document. Scientists discovered ways to derive embryonic stem cells from early mouse embryos more than 30 years ago, in 1981. The detailed study of the biology of mouse stem cells led to the discovery, in 1998, of a method to derive stem cells from human embryos and grow the cells in the laboratory. These cells are called human embryonic stem cells. The embryos used in these studies were created for reproductive purposes through in vitro fertilization procedures. When they were no longer needed for that purpose, they were donated for research with the informed consent of the donor. In 2006, researchers made another breakthrough by identifying conditions that would allow some specialized adult cells to be "reprogrammed" genetically to assume a stem cell-like state. This new type of stem cell, called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), will be discussed in a later section of this document.

Stem cells are important for living organisms for many reasons. In the 3- to 5-day-old embryo, called a blastocyst, the inner cells give rise to the entire body of the organism, including all of the many specialized cell types and organs such as the heart, lungs, skin, sperm, eggs and other tissues. In some adult tissues, such as bone marrow, muscle, and brain, discrete populations of adult stem cells generate replacements for cells that are lost through normal wear and tear, injury, or disease.

Given their unique regenerative abilities, stem cells offer new potentials for treating diseases such as diabetes, and heart disease. However, much work remains to be done in the laboratory and the clinic to understand how to use these cells for cell-based therapies to treat disease, which is also referred to as regenerative or reparative medicine.

Laboratory studies of stem cells enable scientists to learn about the cells' essential properties and what makes them different from specialized cell types. Scientists are already using stem cells in the laboratory to screen new drugs and to develop model systems to study normal growth and identify the causes of birth defects.

Research on stem cells continues to advance knowledge about how an organism develops from a single cell and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms. Stem cell research is one of the most fascinating areas of contemporary biology, but, as with many expanding fields of scientific inquiry, research on stem cells raises scientific questions as rapidly as it generates new discoveries.

I. Introduction | Next

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Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important? What are the unique properties of all stem cells? What are embryonic stem cells? What are adult stem cells? What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and adult stem cells? What are induced pluripotent stem cells?

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Blood is drawn from the arm through an IV and  sent to aphaeresis machine where the stem cells are separated. The rest of the blood is returned to the other arm through the needle.

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stem cell harvest non-hodgkin's  lymphoma

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Stem cell harvest. Stem cells used to be harvested from the bone marrow. That has now largely been abandoned in favour of harveting directly from the peripheral blood.

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The use of stem cells in medicine has helped treat blood diseases, such as Leukemia. The stem cells have also been used for tissue grafts in order to treat diseases and injury's to the bone, skin, and surface of the eye.

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Many clinics offering stem cell treatments make claims that are not supported by a current understanding of science

Stem cells have tremendous promise to help us understand and treat a range of diseases, injuries and other health-related conditions. Their potential is evident in the use of blood stem cells to treat diseases of the blood, a therapy that has saved the lives of thousands of children with leukemia; and can be seen in the use of stem cells for tissue grafts to treat diseases or injury to the bone, skin and surface of the eye. Important clinical trials involving stem cells are underway for many other conditions and researchers continue to explore new avenues using stem cells in medicine.

There is still a lot to learn about stem cells, however, and their current applications as treatments are sometimes exaggerated by the media and other parties who do not fully understand the science and current limitations, and also by "clinics" looking to capitalize on the hype by selling treatments to chronically ill or seriously injured patients. The information on this page is intended to help you understand both the potential and the limitations of stem cells at this point in time, and to help you spot some of the misinformation that is widely circulated by clinics offering unproven treatments.

It is important to discuss these Nine Things to Know and any research or information you gather with your primary care physician and other trusted members of your healthcare team in deciding what is right for you.

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Nine Things to Know About Stem Cell Treatments

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Stem cells have tremendous promise to help us understand and treat a range of diseases, injuries and other health-related conditions. Their potential is evident in the use of blood stem cells to treat diseases of the blood, a therapy that has saved the lives of thousands of children with leukemia; and can be seen in the use of stem cells for tissue grafts to treat diseases or injury to the bone, skin and surface of the eye.

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What are the different types of stem cells? M.C

# data[].attributes.subject
What are the different types of stem cells? M.C

# data[].attributes.body
The two main stem cell types are embryonic and pluripotent. An embryonic stem cell is a hallow ball of cell that is formed three to five days after an egg is fertilized. A pluripotent stem cell are produced in a lab to reprogram adult cells to express characteristics.

# data[].attributes.body
Stem cells are extremely special because they are cells that can develop into many different types of cells in the body. When a stem cell divides they can either become another type of cell like a muscle, red blood or brain cell. Or they can stay a stem cell. There are two types of cells:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
1. Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important?

2. What are the unique properties of all stem cells?

3. What are embryonic stem cells?

4. What are adult stem cells?

5. What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and adult stem cells?

6. What are induced pluripotent stem cells?

7. What are the potential uses of human stem cells and the obstacles that must be overcome before these potential uses will be realized?

8. Where can I get more information?

I. Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important?

Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.

Stem cells are distinguished from other cell types by two important characteristics. First, they are unspecialized cells capable of renewing themselves through cell division, sometimes after long periods of inactivity. Second, under certain physiologic or experimental conditions, they can be induced to become tissue- or organ-specific cells with special functions. In some organs, such as the gut and bone marrow, stem cells regularly divide to repair and replace worn out or damaged tissues. In other organs, however, such as the pancreas and the heart, stem cells only divide under special conditions.

Until recently, scientists primarily worked with two kinds of stem cells from animals and humans: embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic "somatic" or "adult" stem cells. The functions and characteristics of these cells will be explained in this document. Scientists discovered ways to derive embryonic stem cells from early mouse embryos more than 30 years ago, in 1981. The detailed study of the biology of mouse stem cells led to the discovery, in 1998, of a method to derive stem cells from human embryos and grow the cells in the laboratory. These cells are called human embryonic stem cells. The embryos used in these studies were created for reproductive purposes through in vitro fertilization procedures. When they were no longer needed for that purpose, they were donated for research with the informed consent of the donor. In 2006, researchers made another breakthrough by identifying conditions that would allow some specialized adult cells to be "reprogrammed" genetically to assume a stem cell-like state. This new type of stem cell, called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), will be discussed in a later section of this document.

Stem cells are important for living organisms for many reasons. In the 3- to 5-day-old embryo, called a blastocyst, the inner cells give rise to the entire body of the organism, including all of the many specialized cell types and organs such as the heart, lungs, skin, sperm, eggs and other tissues. In some adult tissues, such as bone marrow, muscle, and brain, discrete populations of adult stem cells generate replacements for cells that are lost through normal wear and tear, injury, or disease.

Given their unique regenerative abilities, stem cells offer new potentials for treating diseases such as diabetes, and heart disease. However, much work remains to be done in the laboratory and the clinic to understand how to use these cells for cell-based therapies to treat disease, which is also referred to as regenerative or reparative medicine.

Laboratory studies of stem cells enable scientists to learn about the cells' essential properties and what makes them different from specialized cell types. Scientists are already using stem cells in the laboratory to screen new drugs and to develop model systems to study normal growth and identify the causes of birth defects.

Research on stem cells continues to advance knowledge about how an organism develops from a single cell and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms. Stem cell research is one of the most fascinating areas of contemporary biology, but, as with many expanding fields of scientific inquiry, research on stem cells raises scientific questions as rapidly as it generates new discoveries.

I. Introduction | Next

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Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important? What are the unique properties of all stem cells? What are embryonic stem cells? What are adult stem cells? What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and adult stem cells? What are induced pluripotent stem cells?