Stem Cell Therapy: Hope for Treating Damaged
Organs and Tissues

Stem cells are unspecialized cells that have the
ability to develop into specialized cell types in the body. They can divide
through cell division to either remain stem cells or become another type of
cell with a more specific function, like a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a
brain cell. All stem cells have three general properties: they are
unspecialized, they can renew themselves through cell division, and they can
turn into specialized cell types.



Types of Stem Cells



There are three main types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells, adult stem
cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells. Embryonic stem cells come from
embryos that are about 5 days old and have the potential to become any cell
type in the body. Adult stem cells are cells found in adult tissues like blood
or skin. They can become specific cell types of the tissues in which they
reside. Induced pluripotent stem cells are adult cells that have been
genetically reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell-like state with the ability
to become many different cell types.



How Stem Cell Therapy Works



In Stem
Cell Therapy, stem cells are introduced into damaged tissues or organs
in the body. Stem cells can replace damaged or diseased cells and stimulate the
healing process. When stem cells encounter damaged tissues, they can either
become the cell type needed to repair the damage or secrete chemicals called
cytokines and growth factors that signal to existing cells to proliferate or to
encourage resident stem cells to differentiate. This differentiation process
allows stem cells to become specialized cells like muscle, nerve or bone cells.
Stem cells also promote blood vessel growth to areas that need it via
angiogenesis. This complex interplay leads to regeneration of tissues or entire
structures lost to damage or disease.

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