Understanding Stem Cells (Part 1)
The bone marrow produce blood cells, which are actually derived from hematopoietic cells called stem cells. The distinct feature of stem cells is its ability to regenerate over time. It is present in all stages of the body’s development – from the fusion of an egg and sperm cell to the development of organs and tissues.
Stem cells are categorized according to its potency – or the potential to differentiate (transform) to different cell types. A stem cell may be totipotent, pluripotent, multipotent or unipotent.
Totipotent stem cells form from the fusion of the egg and sperm cells, and differentiate into embryonic and extraembryonic cell types. These develop into a fetus.
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