What are stem cells and why do they matter?
Stem cells are “master cells” - like magic; they can replicate themselves and develop into specific cells the body needs for health at the right time. This makes them nothing short of miraculous as most cells in the body have set roles, such as brain cells that respond to electrical signals from other brain cells to release neurotransmitters or pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin.
There are two types of stem cells, adult and embryonic. As their names imply, adult stem cells are cells found in the body after birth, and embryonic stem cells are present in the early embryonic stage of life.
Adult stem cells are present in various tissues throughout the body, participating in local repair. However, when the amount of stem cells present in damaged tissue is insufficient to take care of the injury or damage, the body sends a request to the stem cells housed in the bone marrow.