What are Stem Cells?

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About Stem Cells:

These are cells with the potential to develop into many different types of cells in the body.
Under the right conditions in the body or a laboratory, stem cells divide to form more cells called daughter cells.
These daughter cells become either new stem cells or specialized cells (differentiation) with a more specific function, such as blood cells, brain cells, heart muscle cells or bone cells.
No other cell in the body has the natural ability to generate new cell types.
They serve as a repair system for the body.
Stem cells are present inside different types of tissue. Scientists have found stem cells in tissues, including the brain, bone marrow, blood, and blood vessels, etc.
There are two types of stem cells.
- Embryonic stem cells:
  - These stem cells come from embryos that are 3 to 5 days old.
  - At this stage, an embryo is called a blastocyst and has about 150 cells.
  - These are pluripotent stem cells, meaning they can divide into more stem cells or can become any type of cell in the body.
  - This versatility allows embryonic stem cells to be used to regenerate or repair diseased tissue and organs.
- Adult stem cells:
  - These stem cells are found in small numbers in most adult tissues, such as bone marrow or fat.
  - Compared with embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells have a more limited ability to give rise to various cells of the body.

What is Induced pluripotent stem cells?

These are adult stem cells that have been changed in a lab to be more like embryonic stem cells.
These cells behave in a similar way to embryonic stem cells, so they could be useful for developing a range of therapies.

Q1) What is a blastocyst?

A blastocyst is a cluster of dividing cells made by a fertilized egg. It’s the early stage of an embryo.A blastocyst forms about five to six days after a sperm fertilizes an egg. Layers of cells in the blastocyst divide and separate. They eventually become the structures that protect and nourish the developing fetus.

Source: Kanpur’s GSVM becomes 1st institute to cure blindness through stem cell transplants