January 20th, 2010
A stem cell is an extraordinary type of cell that has the ability to self-renew for long periods of time and to differentiate into specialized cells under appropriate physiological or experimental conditions. Traditionally, stem cells have been classified as either embryonic, adult (tissue-specific or cord blood) stem cells. Recent understanding of stem cell biology may provide new approaches for the treatment of a number of diseases as well as tissue/organ injuries, including cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, musculoskeletal disease, diabetes and hematopoietic disorders. ( http://www.bharatbook.com/detail.asp?id=83190&rt=S... )
Stem cell fate is determined by both intrinsic regulators and the extra-cellular environment (niche), and their expansion and differentiation ex vivo are generally controlled by growing them in a specific configuration (monolayer or three-dimensional culture). This process, which is vital to enable stem cells to be used for therapeutic purposes, is called differentiation. Differentiation is a process involving unspecialized cells progressing to become specialized cells with restricted developmental potential.
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