Stem cells are cells that can differentiate into other types of cells and can self-renew to produce more stem cells. There are two main types: embryonic stem cells, which are pluripotent and found in early stage embryos, and somatic or adult stem cells, which are multipotent and found in adult tissues. Stem cells are studied for their potential uses such as regenerating damaged tissues to treat diseases like diabetes or paralysis.

1. Stem Cell
By Lalit Mahajan

2. Definition
• A cell that has the ability to continuously
divide and differentiate (develop) into
various other kinds of cells/tissues.
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3. Introduction
• “Células madre” is a Spanish word for stem
cell.
• Stem cells are “mother” cells that give rise to
all other cells in the body.
• They are cells found in all multicellular
organisms that can undergo mitosis to give
rise to specialized cells, or more stem cells.
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4. Special Characteristics of all
Stem Cells
• Self-renewal (proliferation)- the ability of a stem
cell to clone itself indefinitely by cell division.
• Asymmetric cell division.
• Relocation and Differentiation are abilities of
stem cells to “migrate” to where they’re needed
in the body and specialize into a particular type
of mature cell.
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5. Cell division of stem cell
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6. Kinds of Stem Cells
Stem cell
type Description Examples
Cells from early
Each cell can develop
Totipotent (1-3 days)
into a new individual
embryos
Some cells of
Cells can form any
Pluripotent blastocyst (5 to
(over 200) cell types
14 days)
Cells differentiated, Fetal tissue, cord
Multipotent but can form a number blood, and adult
of other tissues stem cells
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7. Types of stem cell
• Embryonic stem cells
• Somatic/ adult stem cells
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9. Embryonic stem cells
• come from embryos
• This stage embryo is called a Blastocyst.
(4-5 days old embryo)
• can self-renew forever.
• are pluripotent – they can differentiate to
become almost every cell in the body.
• Can be used for treatments for Paralysis,
Diabetes, Alzheimer’s.
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10. Generates every cell in the body
including the placenta and extra-
Can form the entire embryonic tissues
human being
Can generate every cell in the
Cannot form the entire
body except placenta and extra-
human being
embryonic tissues
Become specific
cell types are less
flexible than above
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11. Somatic/ adult stem cells
• found in adult tissue.
• can self-renew many times.
• are multipotent – they can differentiate to
become only the types of cells in the tissue
they come from.
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13. Potential uses of stem cells
• Replacing damaged tissue
• Studying human development
• Testing new drugs
• Screening toxins
• Testing gene therapy methods
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14. Thank you
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