A Scientific Explanation of Stem Cells and Stem Cell Research

In general, a cell can be defined as a stem cell if two basic criteria are met. First, stem cell is capable of self renewal for indefinite period throughout life while maintaining undifferentiated state, i.e., the cell can divide and produce two identical daughter cells and thereby maintains the stem cell pool. Second, stem cell possesses capacity for differentiate into specialised and functional progeny under the right conditions, or given the right signals. It may divide asymmetrically to yield an identical cell and a daughter cell that acquires a particular cell type’s properties, such as morphology, phenotype and functional physiology that classified it belongs to a particular tissue (Burns and Zon 2002; Preston et al. 2003). Stem†¦show more content†¦Multipotent stem cell, on the other hand, can be derived from various adult organs and differentiate into lineages restricted cells of their germ (e.g. haemopoietic stem cell and mesenchymal stem cells). Finally, the derivative of differentiated multipotent stem cell-unipotent progenitor cell. This cell is already committed to tissue specific differentiation (e.g. myeloid progenitor and lymphoid progenitor). There is also a population of cell found within a tumour that presented characteristics similar to normal stem cell. This tumour initiating cell was first described by Bonnet and Dick in human acute myeloid leukaemia when they sort out a subpopulation of CD34+/CD38- leukaemic cell subpopulation which are capable of initiating tumours when implanted in NOD/SCID mice (Bonnet and Dick 1997). This had prompted further research into other types of cancer. Cancer stem cell (CSC) had recently been identified in various solid tumours, including breast (Hennessy et al. 2009), brain (Oka et al. 2009), pancreas (Dembinski and Krauss 2009), colon (OBrien et al. 2007), ovary (Zhang et al. 2008), and prostate (Lang et al. 2009). Similar to normal stem cell, CSC capable to self-renewal; possesses high differentiation capacity; able to escape from apoptosis. However, the physiology of CSC is uncontrollable. With understanding of CSC biology, it willShow MoreRelatedStem Cells And The Human Body1421 W ords   |  6 Pages Stem Cells Raven Carr Governor State University Stem Cells The human body is full of hundreds of special types of cells that are essential for ones every day health. These special cells are accountable for keeping our bodies going daily for instance making our brains think, hearts beat and, restoring our skin cells as they shed off. 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