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Question
Explain the role of stem cells in medical treatment.
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Solution
Stem cells have the potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential to either remain as a stem cell or become another type of cell with a specialised function, such as a muscle cell or a red blood cell. Stem cells are of three main types:
- Embryonic stem cells: These are taken from a five to six-day-old embryo. They have the ability to form any type of cell in the body
- Embryonic germ cells: These are derived from a part of a human embryo and ultimately produce eggs or sperm.
- Adult stem cells: These are the undifferentiated cells found among differentiated cells in a tissue or organ after birth.
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