Not all stem cells are the same . . .
The term “stem cells” can refer to many different types of cells. Two very distinct types of stem cells are adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells come from within you – from your fat, bone marrow, hair follicles, dental pulp, muscles - and other sources. Embryonic stem cells come only from embryos. The creation and use of embryos for medical science is a highly debated ethical issue.
Adult stem cell research is free of ethical controversy because they come from within each of us. These cells are the foundation for every organ and tissue, they rescue and repair tissue in response to your body’s needs. In fact, each time your body heals itself from an injury or illness; that is the power of adult stem cells working inside you.
Research with adult stem cells began more than 50 years ago and you may be familiar with the common adult stem cell therapies used today:
- Adult stem cells from bone marrow are used in bone marrow transplants for cancer treatment.
- Adult stem cells from umbilical cord blood are used to treat more than numerous life-threatening diseases including a wide range of cancers, blood disorders, immune system deficiencies and genetic diseases.
Scientists are now furthering this success with bone marrow and cord blood as well as expanding their work with adult stem cells from blood, fat, amniotic fluid, placenta, skeletal muscle, and other areas of the body. Learn more about the disease research that Cell Therapy Foundation wants to move forward.