• Question: what is a stem cell?

    Asked by wootaekjang to Keith on 26 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Keith Siew

      Keith Siew answered on 26 Jun 2013:

      A stem cell is typically defined as a cell with the potential to divide an indefinite (unlimited) number of times and also has the ability to differentiate (change) into various cell types…

      We have adult stem cells which are partially differentiated so have a limited number of cells they can become…like bone marrow which renew our red and white blood cells all the time.

      Then when an egg is fertilised by sperm we get embryonic stem cells which have the ability to become any cell type and multiply continuously to form the baby.

      We also now have technology to create what we called pluripotent stem cells… we can do this from skin cells… so you terminally differentiated cells (ones that have already become one cell type and can’t go back)… and using a cocktail of chemicals and electric shock you can turn the revert the skin cells to a stem cell-like state!

      This is a big area of research and is key to a new field of potential cures and treatments called regenerative medicine.

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