Stem Cells: What How and Why?

Stem Cells: What, How and Why?

  Stem cells are infinitely valuable when considering their
  potential applications in the medical profession.   While
  current legislative restrictions have halted the development of
  new ?stem cell lines? to any agency or company that receives
  any form of governmental grants, there is no question that the
  medical profession is standing at the brink of a new era of
  technological advancements in healthcare and research.
    Stem cells are valuable due to the fact that they are
  ?non-designated,? (have no specifically assigned task in the
  body, i.e. liver cells, brain cells, skin cells, etc.) and they
  also have the ability to divide indefinitely.   Thus,
  theoretically stem cells could replace any damaged or lost
  specifically designated cells within the body.   However, this
  is just a brief mention of the potential applications of stem
  cell research, which will be discussed at a later point in this
  essay.
    Stem cells are categorized into three genres based upon
  their potential developmental capability, total to limited.
  (NIH PRIMER   http://www.nih.gov/news/stemcell/primer.htm)
    Totipotent stem cells are stem cells whose potential is
  total, thus totipotent.   Totipotent stem cells are derived from
  embryonic tissue and fertilized ovarian eggs.  

  This type of stem cell is of particular importance to
  researchers due to its ability to ?specialize into
  extraembryonic membranes and tissues, the embryo, and all
  postembryonic tissues and organs?   (NIH Primer).   However these
  type of cells are extremely difficult to come by and only occur
  in certain places at certain developmental times.
    Pluripotent stem cells are stem cells in which their
  potential is large but not total as in Totipotent stem cells.
  These cells lead to the development of many cells, but cannot
  derive certain types of fetal cells necessary for the
  development of a fetus as do... [continues]

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