What are Stem Cells

Stem cells are special cells that can turn into many different cell types in the body such as heart muscle cells, brain cells, and skin cells. Stem cells are unspecialized cells that have two important characteristics that distinguish them from other cells in the body. First, they can replenish their numbers for long periods through cell division. Second, after receiving certain chemical signals, they can differentiate, or transform into specialized cells with specific functions, such as a heart cell or nerve cell. Stem cells for therapeutic use can be obtained from three potential sources:

  • Embryonic
  • Certain Adult Tissues
  • Umbilical Cord Blood

Sections of our Stem Cell Therapy Guide

From Surgery abroad with Globe Health Tours.