Stem Cells

The history of research on adult stem cells began about 40 years ago.

In the 1960s, researchers discovered that the bone marrow contains at least two kinds of stem cells.

One population, called hematopoietic stem cells, forms all the types of blood cells in the body.

A second population, called bone marrow stromal cells was discovered a few years later. Stromal cells are a mixed cell population that generates bone, cartilage, fat, and fibrous connective tissue.

Also in the 1960s, scientists who were studying rats discovered two regions of the brain that contained dividing cells, which become nerve cells.

Despite these reports, most scientists believed that new nerve cells could not be generated in the adult brain.

It was not until the 1990s that scientists agreed that the adult brain does contain stem cells that are able to generate the brain's three major cell types -- astrocytes (star shaped neurological cell) and oligodendrocytes, which are non-neuronal cells, and neurons or nerve cells.

ABOUT ADULT/EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS AND DIFFERENCES

Adult Stem cells are thought to reside in a specific area of each tissue where they may remain (non-dividing) for many years until they are activated by disease or tissue injury.

The adult tissues reported to contain stem cells include brain, bone marrow, peripheral blood, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, skin and liver.

Human embryonic and adult stem cells each have advantages and disadvantages regarding potential use for cell-based regenerative therapies. Of course, adult and embryonic stem cells differ in the number and type of differentiated cells types they can become. Embryonic stem cells can become all cell types