The healing potential of stem cells — XCell-Center

The healing potential of stem cells — XCell-Center: "The healing potential of stem cells
No matter how big a human becomes, it all began with an ovum and a sperm cell. This means that cells exist which have the potential to form a complete human. The first cells to arise from a fertilized ovum are described as totipotent ('potent for everything'). After a few days in the womb, the blastocyst forms. The cells contained in it are called embryonic stem cells. They are still very unspecialized and have the ability to divide endlessly and to develop into all of the 220 human cell types. However, a whole human cannot arise from these few cells. They have lost their toti-virility and are described as pluripotent ('potent for a lot'). As soon as the human's development is completed, these former all-arounders will have changed into mature, differentiated cells taking over a specific function in our body, for example neurocytes which conduct electric impulses, muscle cells which contract and the ß-cells of the pancreas which produce insulin.
However, skin renews itself throughout adulthood, injuries heal and hair grows. Right to the end of our lives, we have cells which are very unspecialized, can divide often and help the organism to regenerate and repair itself. These cells are called adult stem cells. To date, adult stem cells have been found in nearly every body tissue, for example in the skin, the brain, the blood, the liver and the bone marrow."