Stem Cells

• A stem cell is a cell that has not yet differentiated into a specialised cell.
• There are embryonic stem cells which are fertilised egg cells that are yet to differentiate. These can differentiate into any type of cell.
• There are adult stem cells in bone marrow, but they are not able to differentiate into any type of cell. They can only become blood cells.
• Stem cells are used to cure disease and cancers, as the cells will adapt and duplicate into healthy versions of the infected cell, and eventually outnumber the infected cell.
• Embryonic cells can be seen as unethical as they had potential to be human life, and may just be wasted or thrown away.