Normally a skin cell remains as a skin cell all its life. A nerve cell remains as a nerve cell until it dies and so on.
Stem cells, however, can change into many types of cells -- heart cells, nerve cells, muscle cells, skin etc. That is why they are called stem cells. They are the stem or trunk from which the branches (different cell types) can proceed.
In other word a stem cell is a cell that has the ability to continuously divide and differentiate (develop) into various other kind(s) of cells and tissues. Like a blank microchip that can ultimately be programmed to perform any one of a number of specialized tasks, stem cells are undifferentiated, 'blank' cells that do not yet have a specific physiological function.
Because of this capacity they may prove useful for treatment of some medical conditions as they can be trained in different directions.
What are the benefits of stem cell treatment?
Stem cell research may benefit many conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, heart disease and cancer.
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