No history of stem cell research is complete without an explanation of what types of stem cells exist, where they’re found, and what functions they perform in the fetus, juvenile, and adult body. As discussed, stem cells exist at different levels of specialization. Some can do anything – literally. Meanwhile, others have vast potential to develop into different tissue types, but can’t do so to a limitless extent.
The main categories of stem cells are described below. These categories include multipotent, pluripotent, totipotent, and induced pluripotent stem cells.
Multipotent Stem Cells
Alexander Maximow was correct in his theory that blood cells all come from a single source cell, the hematopoietic stem cell. This is a multipotent stem cell that can turn into any type of blood cell. Note the emphasis on blood; it cannot turn into a muscle or heart cell, for instance. Multipotent stem cells demonstrate a lot of possibilities still, however, because physicians can use them to regrow damaged areas of the body using their tissue-specific properties.
Pluripotent Stem Cells
These are even more useful than multipotent stem cells because they can develop into any cell in the body. However, they present a historic problem with stem cells. In decades past, researchers could only find them in human embryonic tissue. Today, however, the technology exists to reverse adult stem cells and turn them into pluripotent stem cells, avoiding the moral disputes associated with embryonic stem cells. Many parents now choose to donate umbilical cord blood as well, which is a rich source of pluripotent stem cells.
Totipotent Stem Cells
As their name suggests, these stem cells have the total ability to transform into any type of cell needed at any point of human development. The difference between these and pluripotent stem cells is the former’s ability to also create the tissue needed to form the umbilical cord and other necessary tissues in fetal development.
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Operating under the assumption that medicine requires access to pluripotent stem cells, researchers have put a great deal of effort into reversing specialized tissue cells to create the range of possibility that exists in the human fetus. As it happens, a number of different tissue types contain cells that scientists have succeeded in reversing, from teeth and fat to muscle and blood.
Stem Cell Sources
Another way to classify stem cells is their source. Mesenchymal stem cells originate in bone marrow, while adipose-derived stem cells originate in fat tissue. Scientists have found ways to use both to form a variety of other tissues other than the tissue of origin. Stem cells also live in diverse regions across the body. These include the liver and brain as well as teeth and blood vessel lining. So there exists no end of options for where to find them.
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