Stem Cells
Stem cells are distinguished from other cell types by two
important characteristics.
•First, they are unspecialized cells capable of renewing
themselves through cell division, sometimes after long
periods of inactivity.
•Second, under certain physiologic or experimental
conditions, they can be induced to become tissue- or
organ-specific cells with special functions. In some
organs, such as the gut and bone marrow, stem cells
regularly divide to repair and replace worn out or
damaged tissues.
Types of Stem Cells
• Embryonic Stem Cells - typically taken from
blastocyts or from early embryos from fertility
clinics. Pleuripotent.
• Somatic (adult) Stem Cells - bone,
reproductive organs, brain, heart: maintain
and repair tissues in which they are found.
• Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (IPSC’s) adult cells conditioned to revert to embryoniclike cells.
Embryonic Stem Cells
Blastocyst
Inner Cell Mass
Trophoblast
Hematopoietic Tissue of Bone: an example of adult stem cells. Capable of creating
several types of cells and tissues but does not provide the diversity of tissue types possible
from embryonic stem cells.
Uses for Stem Cells
• Tissue repair or replacement - for example,
replacing heart tissue following a heart attack.
• Research concerning developmental processes
of embryos and fetuses.
• Pharmaceutical (drug development and
testing)
Identifying Embryonic Stem Cells
• Must be able to grow for many generations in
the lab without differentiating.
• Must show specific cell surface marker
proteins typical of embryonic cells.
• Express specific transcription factors such as
Nanog and Oct4 which are typical of early
embryos.
• Can form embryoid bodies.
Inducing
Differentiation
Types of Adult Stem Cells
• Hematopoietic stem cells give rise to all the types of blood cells: red blood
cells, B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, neutrophils,
basophils, eosinophils, monocytes, and macrophages.
• Mesenchymal stem cells give rise to a variety of cell types: bone cells
(osteocytes), cartilage cells (chondrocytes), fat cells (adipocytes), and
other kinds of connective tissue cells such as those in tendons.
• Neural stem cells in the brain give rise to its three major cell types: nerve
cells (neurons) and two categories of non-neuronal cells—astrocytes and
oligodendrocytes.
• Epithelial stem cells in the lining of the digestive tract occur in deep crypts
and give rise to several cell types: absorptive cells, goblet cells, paneth
cells, and enteroendocrine cells.
• Skin stem cells occur in the basal layer of the epidermis and at the base of
hair follicles. The epidermal stem cells give rise to keratinocytes, which
migrate to the surface of the skin and form a protective layer. The follicular
stem cells can give rise to both the hair follicle and to the epidermis.
Transdifferentiation
There have been a few reports of adult stem
cells differentiating into tissue types other
than the tissue from which they came.
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are adult
cells that have been genetically
reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell–like
state by being forced to express genes and
factors important for maintaining the defining
properties of embryonic stem cells. Although
these cells meet the defining criteria for
pluripotent stem cells, it is not known if iPSCs
and embryonic stem cells differ in clinically
significant ways.