The discovery of adult stem cells was a great leap forward to the development of medical science. A stem cell is an undifferentiated cell which has a unique property to develop into indefinitely more cells of the same type & from which certain other types of cell arise by differentiation. From the definition we can conclude that an adult stem cell has the following attributions by which it has been distinguished from other cells.
1. Stem cells can be differentiated into more cells.
2. Stem cells are unspecialized. It lacks the specific part to allow a specific job like other type of cell. However, by differentiating it can be transformed into specialized cell.
Scientists have classified the stem cells into two categories based on their properties. These are embryonic stem cells & adult stem cells. Adult stem cells are found in an undifferentiated form among the differentiated cells in a tissue or organ & it can develop into a specialized type. The most important function of it is to maintain the equilibrium of cell function of an organ. For example, it replaces the cell that dies by injury or disease
The properties of adult stem cells have generated a great deal of interest among the scientists. They began to do clinical research how it could be used for the treatment of human disease. After a long clinical research, scientists found the existence of adult stem cell in brain, hearts, bone marrow, peripheral blood, blood vessels & many other organs of human body. From the very beginning of their research scientists tried to generate a large number of adult stem cells in laboratory & became successful. Clinically produced cell is now utilized for organ transplantation, repairing hurt muscle, developing insulin producing cell for diabetes-1 patient & to cure many critical diseases. There are even stem cell enhancement products you can use to enhance your health.
The discovery of adult stem cells is a historical step in medical science.