Article
Stem Cell Research
Stem cells are the body's "building blocks"; they are the cells from which all tissues and organs are derived. They have the ability to divide while still maintaining their identity, yet they can also develop into specialized cells in response to certain stimuli. They can be found in a wide range of tissues in mammals at different stages of development and in adult organisms in tissues like nerve, muscle and skin. Stem cells from adults have a more restricted range of development. In order to develop new treatments for specific conditions scientists must understand more about how cell differentiation is directed by biological signals. New methods need to be found to grow large numbers of desired cells and more scientific experimentation involving different types of stem cells is vital. It will take many years for research projects to provide sufficient knowledge about stem cells to make new treatments possible (see Medical Research).
