Stem Cell

By Lalit Mahajan
 Definition
• A cell that has the ability to continuously
divide and differentiate (develop) into
various other kinds of cells/tissues.

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 Introduction

• “Células madre” is a Spanish word for stem

cell.
• Stem cells are “mother” cells that give rise to
all other cells in the body.
• They are cells found in all multicellular
organisms that can undergo mitosis to give
rise to specialized cells, or more stem cells.

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 Special Characteristics of all
Stem Cells

• Self-renewal (proliferation)- the ability of a stem

cell to clone itself indefinitely by cell division.
• Asymmetric cell division.
• Relocation and Differentiation are abilities of
stem cells to “migrate” to where they’re needed
in the body and specialize into a particular type
of mature cell.

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Cell division of stem cell

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 Kinds of Stem Cells
Stem cell
type Description Examples
Cells from early
Each cell can develop
Totipotent (1-3 days)
into a new individual
embryos
Some cells of
Cells can form any
Pluripotent blastocyst (5 to
(over 200) cell types
14 days)
Cells differentiated, Fetal tissue, cord
Multipotent but can form a number blood, and adult
of other tissues stem cells
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 Types of stem cell

• Embryonic stem cells

• Somatic/ adult stem cells

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 Embryonic stem cells

• come from embryos

• This stage embryo is called a Blastocyst.
(4-5 days old embryo)
• can self-renew forever.
• are pluripotent – they can differentiate to
become almost every cell in the body.
• Can be used for treatments for Paralysis,
Diabetes, Alzheimer’s.

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 Generates every cell in the body
including the placenta and extra-
Can form the entire embryonic tissues
human being

Can generate every cell in the

Cannot form the entire
body except placenta and extra-
human being
embryonic tissues

Become specific
cell types are less
flexible than above

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Somatic/ adult stem cells

• found in adult tissue.

• can self-renew many times.
• are multipotent – they can differentiate to
become only the types of cells in the tissue
they come from.

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 Potential uses of stem cells

• Replacing damaged tissue

• Studying human development
• Testing new drugs
• Screening toxins
• Testing gene therapy methods

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Thank you