differentiation

• adult stem cell

  needed for renewal of the cells found in a specific tissue.

  can turn into limited range of cell types so are multipotent
• embryonic stem cell

  derived from early embryo

  can turn into any cell type so are pluripotent
• meristem

  a reigon of unspecialised plant cells which are capable of cell division producing cells that can then differentiate to produce permanent tissues
• differentiation

  the process by which a cell develops more specialised functions by expressing the genes characteristic of that type of cell
• Stem cells are used as

  model cells to study how diseases develop or being used in drug testing
• therapeutic uses of stem cells

  skin grafts for burns

  cornea transplants

  bone marrow transplants for leukaemia