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Embryonic Stem Cells Essay

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Stem cells are a type of cell that are undifferentiated and divide through mitosis to produce more stem cells or develop into specialized cells. They serve various functions during growth and early life. Stem cells serve as an internal repair system and can divide with the option of staying as a stem cell or developing into a more specialized type of cell with a function such as a red blood cell or muscle cell. In some organs of the body, stem cells divide regularly to repair tissue and in other organs they rarely divide. There are 2 classes of stem cells that scientists have worked with that come from animals and humans: non-embryonic (adult or somatic) and embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells are derived from a certain organ and are limited to the cell types that they can become. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, which means they are able to become all cell types of the …show more content…

They are derived from embryos that are developed through in vitro fertilization, not from the eggs inside of a woman’s body. The potential of embryonic stem cells to become any type of specialized cell has an unlimited number of therapeutic abilities and is a large step for research. Embryonic stem cells are distinct from adult stem cells because of their potency and ability to replicate indefinitely. Embryonic stem cells are immortal and express a high level of telomerase, which prevents the cell from undergoing senescence. They are able to give rise to cells from all three embryonic germ layers even after being in a culture for a long time. Ectoderm gives rise to brain, spinal cord, nerve cells, hair, and skin. Mesoderm gives rise to muscles, blood, and heart. Endoderm gives rise to guts, lung, bladder, and germ line cells. Embryonic stem cells have a great potential for treatment of disorders where cell loss is known to

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