Abstract

STEM CELL THERAPY – A REVIEW

Preethu P. John*

ABSTRACT

Stem cells have the ability to differentiate into specific cell types. The two defining characteristics of a stem cell are self-renewal and the ability to differentiate into a specialized adult cell type. There are two major classes of stem cells: pluripotent that can become any cell in the adult body, and multipotent that are restricted to becoming a more limited population of cells. The study of stem cells is one of the most exciting areas of contemporary biomedical research. Stem Cell Therapy (SCT) is the treatment of various disorders, non-serious to life threatening, by using stem cells. These stem cells can be procured from a lot of different sources and used to potentially treat many disorders. Stem cells from a donor (either from cord blood or bone marrow) are known to reconstitute the defective bone marrow and permanently overcome the disorder.

Keywords: Stem cells, Pluripotent, multipotent, Stem Cell Therapy.