Biological cells found in all multi

cellular organisms.

They have the capacity to divide,

differentiate and self-renew.

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells.

Have the potential to develop into

many different types of specialized cells.

Totipotent stem cells

stem cells that have the ability to differentiate into all cell types in an organism (including extra embryonic membrane) These cells are produced from the fusion of gametes. Cells produced from the first few divisions of the fertilized egg are also totipotent.

Pluripotent stem cells

stem cells that can differentiate into

almost all cell types needed in future. (except tissues such as placenta).

They are the descendants of totipotent cells. The inner cell mass of blastocyst is pluripotent.

Potential sources of stem cells

The potential sources of stem cells are Adult stem cell Embryonic stem cell Umbilical cord stem cell
Adult stem cell is also called as tissue stem

cell or somatic stem cell

Adult stem cells

It is obtained from tissues of adult organisms.

They can give rise to a limited range of cells

within a tissue type.

Occur in growing and adult body, within most

organs. E.g.: bone marrow, brain, liver etc.

Example: white bone marrow contain stem cells that can form white blood cells

Advantages of adult stem cells

No ethical issues regarding the

collection of stem cells.

Very little chance of immune

rejection, if used for treating the same person.

Abundant supply within a single

person

Disadvantages of adult stem cells

Very difficult to identify and isolate from other

cells in the tissues.

Culturing adult stem cell in-vitro is very

difficult as they have a very short life.

They have limited potency.

Their self renewal is not much successful .

They contain more DNA abnormalities

acquired with age.

Embryonic stem cells

Stem cells derived from the undifferentiated

cell mass of a human embryo.

They are pluripotent stem cells.

Pluripotent stem cells are derived from the

inner cell mass of blastocyst. contain 70-100 cells.

Blastocyst is the human embryonic stage

Outer trophoblast forms the placenta.

Inner cell mass can form most of the cell types.

Advantages of embryonic stem cells

Have the potential to develop into

most of the human cells.

Have high potential in treating

human diseases.

Easy to identify and isolate.

Disadvantages of embryonic stem cells

Its use is unethical as the used

embryos are discarded after extracting the stem cell.

Supply of spare embryos is limited.

Chance of developing tumours.

sources
(1)From spare embryos

embryonic stem cells can be obtained from the spare embryos produced by infertility clinics while treating infertile couples.

for in-vitro fertilization gametes are allowed to fuse outside the body.

 From a single cell derived from an

embryo at the eight cell stage

Carefully remove one of the cells and can do pre implantation genetic diagnosis. Rest of the embryo is not destroyed or harmed. The remaining cells can develop into a complete organism.

 From umbilical cord

Cod blood is collected and stem cells are harvested and multiplied by sterile cell culture technique

 The blood that drains from the placenta

Umbilical cord blood stem cells

and the umbilical cord after birth contains pluripotent stem cells.

Can be frozen and stored which can be

used for treatment later in their lives.

It may contain the precursor cells of

conditions like leukemia.

Can find out the disease condition very

early in the life.

Advantages of cord blood

More versatile than bone marrow cells. Have the potential to treat a wide range of blood diseases. Chance of immune rejection is very rare.

Collection of cord blood does not make any harm to mother or baby.

Disadvantages of cord blood

Limited source of cord blood stem cells.

Collecting and storing of cord blood is very expensive. It need a lot of storage place to do this for every one.