Stemcell Transplantation- Types, Risks and Benefits

Abstract

Stem cells are the body's raw materials cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated. Under the right conditions in the body stem cells divide to form more cells, called daughter cells. These daughter cells either become new stem cells called self-renewal or become specialized cells i.e. differentiation with a more specific function, such as blood cells, brain cells, heart muscle or bone. Stem cells are unique and no other cell in the body has the natural ability to generate new cell types. Stem cell transplants, also known as bone marrow transplants, have been performed in the United States since the late 1960s. These transplants use adult stem cells. Adult stem cells are being tested in other applications, including a number of degenerative diseases, such as heart failure. Stem cells from umbilical cord blood have been successfully used in clinical trials to treat cancer and blood-related diseases.