Background:
What are stem cells?
Stem cells frequently serve as an internal repair system for the body because it has the potential to develop into any kind of cell it wants to. These daughter cells become new stem cells or specialized cells, with a specific function. Stem cells have the skill to renew themselves and differentiate into many unusual types of specialized cells. (Citation 1)Top Five Types of Stem Cells:
Embryonic stem cells
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These rare cells are found in many organs and tissues. They are also called somatic stem cell, meaning "of the body." Most of these cells are multipotent, which means they can only change into a limited number of types of cells. (Citation 3)
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Some different types of Adult Stem cells are..
- Hematopoietic stem cells give rise to all the types of blood cells: red blood cells, B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, monocytes, and macrophages.
- Mesenchymal stem cells give rise to a variety of cell types: bone cells (osteocytes), cartilage cells (chondrocytes), fat cells (adipocytes), and other kinds of connective tissue cells such as those in tendons.
- Neural stem cells in the brain give rise to its three major cell types: nerve cells (neurons) and two categories of non-neuronal cells—astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.
- Epithelial stem cells in the lining of the digestive tract occur in deep crypts and give rise to several cell types: absorptive cells, goblet cells, paneth cells, and enteroendocrine cells.
- Skin stem cells occur in the basal layer of the epidermis and at the base of hair follicles. The epidermal stem cells give rise to keratinocytes, which migrate to the surface of the skin and form a protective layer. The follicular stem cells can give rise to both the hair follicle and to the epidermis. (Citation 13)
Induced pluripotent stem cells
- These cells are reprogrammed to enter the embryonic stem cells. They derived from non-pluripotent stem cells. These cells are known to be identical to the embryonic stem cells, and they are created using a virus to inset a gene. Some say it's dangerous due to the risk of triggering the expression of cancer-causing genes. (Citation 4)
Pluripotent stem cells
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Many
(pluri) potentials (potent). These cells
have the potential of taking on many fortunes in the body, including all of the
more than 200 different cell types. (Citation 14)
Cancer stem cells
These cells are a sub-population of cancer cells that can
self-renew, and circulate the cancer, and differentiate into the many types of
cells that are found in a tumor.
For
those diseases that are forced by cancer stem cells, those cells are thought to
be the source of all cells that make up the cancer. (Citation 14)
Potency of Stem Cells:
What is a cell potency?
A cell potency is the cells ability to differentiate into specialized cells. (Citation 8)
Multipotent - differentiate in closely family related cells.
Oligopotent - differentiate in a few cells like lymphoid myeloid cells.
Pluripotent - differentiate in mostly all types of cells.
Totipotent - these can differentiate into embryonic and extra embryonic cells.
Unipotent - produce only in their own type of cell, but can renew itself.
(Citation 5)
