Stem cells have the ability to transform themselves into any cell in the body, thus being able to replicate several times, unlike other cells in the body.
This type of cell can be found in embryonic cells and in different parts of the body, for example, in the blood, in the placenta, in the umbilical cord, in the bone marrow, among others.
In addition, this capacity for renewal, which occurs through cell division, can occur in an induced manner in stem cells after periods of inactivity.
Thus, currently, genetic engineering studies have advanced a lot, since scientists are betting on the manipulation of stem cells for therapeutic purposes, cure and treatment of certain degenerative and chronic diseases, trauma and recovery of damaged tissues.
Stem cells can differentiate into any other cell type
types
There are three major groups of stem cells: embryonic, non-embryonic or adult and induced.
Embryonic stem cells
Embryonic stem cells, as the name implies, are those found in embryos approximately 5 days after fertilization . That is, they form at the beginning of embryonic development .
These types of stem cells stand out for the process called “cell differentiation”, since they have a high capacity to transform into any type of cell, thus generating specialized cells from different body tissues.
Embryonic stem cells are classified into:
- Totipotent stem cells:which generate extraembryonic tissues originating complete organisms. They can differentiate into all tissues of the human body. An example is the zygote.
- Pluripotent stem cells :specialized in generating cells from the three embryonic layers (ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm). Thus, they can transform into almost any tissue in the body, except the placenta and embryonic appendages.
See also: Embryonic Brochures
Adult stem cells
Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the function of renewing and repairing body tissues. However, they are less versatile than embryonic stem cells.
Thus, in relation to embryonic stem cells, adult cells are not derived from embryonic tissues and have the ability to transform on a smaller scale.
Adult stem cells are found in all parts of the human body, especially in bone marrow and umbilical cord blood, and are taken from patients themselves for medicinal purposes.
In other words, adult stem cells are more difficult to divide than embryonic ones and, therefore, current research largely uses embryonic stem cells, with the aim of producing others.
Induced stem cells
Induced stem cells are those produced in the laboratory, the first were produced from skin cells in 2007. After some tests, it was proven that these cells could differentiate into the three embryonic layers.
Thus, they are taken from an adult individual, which reduces some of the bioethical conflicts of using stem cells by excluding the use of embryos. These cells represent the possibility of treating some types of diseases, as they represent the possibility of rebuilding tissues and organs.
Learn more, also read:
- Cloning
- Gene Therapy
- Animal cell
- Genetic engineering
Curiosities
- The first record of the use of stem cells in Brazil was to cure injuries of a female maned wolf, run over by a truck, in 2010. The treatment lasted four months, half of the time expected for the animal’s recovery;
- There are also two types of stem cells: oligotent, which differentiate into a few tissues, and unipotent, which transform into a single tissue.
