Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the capacity to both differentiate and multiply into the 200 cells types that form a human being. In total, the human body is composed of an estimated 30 trillion cells, making stem cells extremely important to human development. Stem cells are also found in plants and animals.

The use of stem cells to treat human disease is being investigated within scientific research, as well as thousands of clinical trials worldwide. These cells are bringing hope to  many people worldwide, including patients, researchers, and clinicians.

For the bulk of human history, a serious injury or long-lasting disease meant death. Whether the problem was infection, degeneration or failure of a vital system, healers were at a loss for what to do. The problem? They couldn’t figure out how to replace systems that were damaged. This is where stem cells have the potential to create a paradigm shift.

What exactly are stem cells and how has are they changing the way that diseases and injuries are treated? [Read more…]