stem cell
Body's blank slate
A stem cell is a cell that can develop into specialized cell types and divide to produce more stem cells.
Found in embryos and adult tissues, stem cells serve as a repair system for the body.
Stem cell research offers hope for treating degenerative diseases.
Their use in medicine remains scientifically promising but ethically contested, particularly when derived from embryos.
Able to become many cell types
- multipotentCan become multiple types
- totipotentCan develop into any cell
- differentiationRecognizing meaningful differences
- blastocystEarly developmental stage before implantation
embryo · zygote · progenitor · lineage · self-renewal · proliferation · niche · somatic
Surgical organ relocation
- regenerationBiological self-repair process
- treatmentCare for an ailment
- bone marrow transplantInfusing healthy hematopoietic cells
- leukemiaMalignancy of blood-forming tissues
lymphoma · grafting · immunotherapy · gene therapy · personalized medicine · clinical trials · donor · recipient
Facility for scientific investigation
- scientistsSystematic knowledge seekers
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- bioethicsMoral philosophy for medicine
- fundingSupplying monetary resources
clinical trials · patents · regulations · breakthrough · peer review · publications · cloning · controversy
Biological wound healing process
- wound healingRestoration after injury
- cartilageFlexible connective body tissue
- skin graftingTransplanting tissue to wounds
- spinal cord injuryDamage to backbone's neural tissue
heart disease · diabetes treatment · neurodegeneration · Parkinson's · Alzheimer's · macular degeneration · muscle repair · anti-aging
pluripotent
Able to become many cell types
- multipotentCan become multiple types
- totipotentCan develop into any cell
- differentiationRecognizing meaningful differences
blastocyst · embryo · zygote · progenitor · lineage · self-renewal · proliferation · niche · somatic · hematopoietic
transplantation
Surgical organ relocation
- regenerationBiological self-repair process
- treatmentCare for an ailment
- bone marrow transplantInfusing healthy hematopoietic cells
leukemia · lymphoma · grafting · immunotherapy · gene therapy · personalized medicine · clinical trials · donor · recipient · engraftment
laboratory
Facility for scientific investigation
- scientistsSystematic knowledge seekers
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- bioethicsMoral philosophy for medicine
funding · clinical trials · patents · regulations · breakthrough · peer review · publications · cloning · controversy · biobank
tissue repair
Biological wound healing process
- wound healingRestoration after injury
- cartilageFlexible connective body tissue
- skin graftingTransplanting tissue to wounds
spinal cord injury · heart disease · diabetes treatment · neurodegeneration · Parkinson's · Alzheimer's · macular degeneration · muscle repair · anti-aging · plasticity
- cellscells, blood cells, nerve cells, brain cells, mitosis
- BiotechDNA, bioengineering, genetic testing, gene, DNA sequencing
- cell biologycytoplasm, ribosome, mitochondria, nucleus, organelles
- body cellsred blood cells, white blood cells, erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets
- stem cellsESC, self-renewal, progenitors, progenitor, blastomere
- biologycells, DNA, biology, gene, bacteriology