What are the properties of stem cells?

Stem cells differ from other kinds of cells in the body. All stem cells-regardless of their sources have three general properties.-

(i) One of the fundamental properties of a stem cell is that it does hot have any tissue specific structures that allow it to perform specialized functions. However, unspecialized stem cells can give rise to specialized cells including heart cells, nerve cells, blood merge cells etc.

(ii) Stem cells are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods a standing population of stem cells that proliferates for many months in the laboratory can yield millions of cells.

(iii) Stem cells can give rise to specialized cells. This process is called differentiation.

Human Stem cells can be obtained from various sources. Such as:-

i. Aborted foetal tissue.

ii. Stored or spare embryos obtained from infertility treatment.

iii. Embryos produced for research purposes (including somatic cell nuclear transfer)

iv. Existing cell lines (eg-haematopoietic) or neuronal stem cells, collected from peripheral blood or bone narrow.