Stem Cells

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Summary

Stem cells are cells with the potential to develop into many different types of cells in the body. They serve as a repair system for the body. There are two main types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells.

Stem cells are different from other cells in the body in three ways:

They can divide and renew themselves over a long time
They are unspecialized, so they cannot do specific functions in the body
They have the potential to become specialized cells, such as muscle cells, blood cells, and brain cells

Doctors and scientists are excited about stem cells because they could help in many different areas of health and medical research. Studying stem cells may help explain how serious conditions such as birth defects and cancer come about. Stem cells may one day be used to make cells and tissues for therapy of many diseases. Examples include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, spinal cord injury, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis.

NIH: National Institutes of Health

Start Here

Diseases Treated by Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant (Blood & Marrow Transplant Information Network)
Introduction to Stem Cells (National Institutes of Health)
Stem Cells: What They Are and What They Do (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
What Are Stem Cells? (International Society for Stem Cell Research)

Related Issues

Cord Blood Testing and Banking (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Donating Peripheral Blood Stem Cells (National Marrow Donor Program) Also in Spanish
Donating Stem Cells and Bone Marrow (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Life After Bone Marrow or Blood Stem Cell Transplant (National Marrow Donor Program)
Planning for a Transplant -- Blood Stem Cell (Health Resources and Services Administration)
Treatment Before Transplant (National Marrow Donor Program)
What Should I Ask Before Considering an Unproven Stem Cell Treatment? (International Society for Stem Cell Research)

Specifics

9 Things to Know about Stem Cell Treatments (International Society for Stem Cell Research)
About Transplantation -- Blood Stem Cell (Health Resources and Services Administration)
Getting a Stem Cell or Bone Marrow Transplant (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Stem Cell or Bone Marrow Transplant Side Effects (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Stem Cell Transplants in Cancer Treatment (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Types of Stem Cells (International Society for Stem Cell Research)
Umbilical Cord Blood Donation Process and FAQs (National Marrow Donor Program) Also in Spanish

Videos and Tutorials

Becoming a Blood Stem Cell Donor (National Cancer Institute)

Statistics and Research

Donation and Transplantation Statistics (Health Resources and Services Administration)
Focus on Stem Cell Research (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Hematopoietic Stem Cells (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Stem Cell Transplantation (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Stem Cells (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Reference Desk

Stem Cell Glossary (International Society for Stem Cell Research)

Find an Expert

Blood & Marrow Transplant Information Network
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
NIH Stem Cell Information (National Institutes of Health)
Public Cord Blood Banks and Donation Hospitals (National Marrow Donor Program)

Children

Stem Cell Transplants (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Teenagers

Stem Cell Transplants (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

Bone marrow (stem cell) donation (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

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