What are Stem cells?

Stem cells are immature, immature, undifferentiated germ cells with a high capacity for replication, which have the ability to develop in various tissues of the body.

There are several types of stem cells: the totipotential, have the ability to become any body tissue or a complete organism. It is the type of stem cells that originate in the first days after fertilization of the egg.

Stem cells have the ability to become any tissue in the germ layers of the newly implanted embryo, but not a complete organism.

Multipotent cells only have the ability to become tissues of the germ layers to which they belong.

Unipotent stem cells are cells with the ability to reproduce the tissue to which they belong.

The ability to become tissues of the same type from which they are implanted has raised the possibility of using stem cells to regenerate damaged organs or repair injuries.

A problem for the above, is obtaining the same cells, since being germ cells, they can be obtained from embryos, which causes an ethical conflict; or, from the cells of the umbilical cord or from the amniotic fluid. It can also be obtained from the tissues of the same patient. Whatever the source, in many cases the number of cells is not enough.

Despite this, investigations are progressing. One of the fields where it is already used is bone marrow transplantation in cases of leukemia, or bone marrow autotransplantation prior to chemotherapy, to restore the system itself immune.

In addition, results of treatments have been published in which stem cells have been grafted into tissues damaged, such as the pancreas or brain, to regenerate tissues damaged by diabetes or a apoplexy.