Stem Cells: Stem cells are a class of undifferentiatedcells that are able to differentiate into specialized celltypes. Commonly, stem cells are of the followingtypes:
Embryonic stem cells – derived from the inner cellmass of an embryo and these are capable offorming any cell types of the bodyAdult stem cells – also known as somatic stem celland it refers to non-reproductive cells in the body(eggs or sperm). They generate cells to replacethose that are lost through normal repair, disease,cor injury. ASCs are found throughout ones lifetimein tissues such as the umbilical cord, placenta,bone marrow, muscle, brain, fat tissue, skin, gut,etc.
Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells: These cellsare produced by genetically manipulating somaticcells to produce embryonic-like stem cells
Importance
Stem cells offer new potentials for treatingdiseases such as diabetes, and heart disease.To screen new drugs and to develop modelsystems to study normal growth and identify
causes of birth defects.study how an organism develops from a single celland how healthy cells replace damaged cells inadult organisms.