Stem Cells

Stem Cells

1. After fertilisation, cell division takes place and a hollow ball of cells called an embryo is formed.

2. The cells on the inside of an embryo are called embryonic stem cells.

3. They are unspecialised (not designed for a particular job). As the embryo develops the cells begin to differentiate and change into different types of cell.

4. As the cells mature, they can no longer differentiate but some of our stem cells remain into adulthood.

5. For example, there are adult stem cells in our bone marrow which give rise to new blood cells.

6. Small numbers of stem cells remain in other body tissues as well.

7. If stem cells can be made to multiply and differentiate, we would have an unlimited supply of different types of cells, which could be transplanted into people whose tissues are damaged.

8. This is called stem cell theory.