An overview of the Pluripotent stem cells

Stem cells have different types which can describe all of the cells that can make different other cells found in tissues come into life. One of those type is a pluripotent stem cell which are often referred as 'true' stem cells because of their ability to differentiate into almost any body cells as long as they are isolated from the embryo. However, the pluripotent's unlimited potential to develop into all cell types will be over as soon as the embryonic development stage is done, from then on they can only become certain types of cell.

The early stages of development in the human body can explain how a cell become pluripotent. The fertilization of egg and sperm can result to a single cell which is called totipotent that can create an entire organism. After fertilization this single totipotent cell divides into more totipotent cells which are the exact copies of the original one. Blastocyst cells forms approximately after four days of fertilization since totipotent cells start to specialize and form a cluster. An inner cell mass inside the blastocyst which is an inner pluripotent will go on to create most of the cells and tissues inside the body.

But this pluripotent atem cells are different from totipotent stem cells since they are not capable of developing into a whole new organism. This means that a pluripotent cell will not make placenta or other tissues which are essential for fetal development. However, it will develop into other specialized cell type in the human body like nerve or heart cells. Moreover, pluripotent stem cell lines, which are grown from laboratory or being cultured from fetal tissue came from stem cells from embryos.

Pluripotent stem cells have different types, one of those is embryonic stem cells which are isolated from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst. They are the one produced from in vitro fertilization but the use is still controversial due to the issue that it can destroy an embryo which is essential to develop a baby.

Another type is the embryonic germ cells which can become sperm and eggs. They are usually derived from very early cells and taken from aborted fetuses. The last is the embryonic carcinoma also known as the cancer cell. They are isolated from tumor which occurs in a fetus.

The potentials and challenges for the pluripotent stem cells

Renewable source of healthy cells and tissues that can be provided by pluripotent stem cells can treat not just heart disease and diabetes but also treat those burn victims and the ones suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Muscle, blood, heart and nerve cells can be treated by this pluripotent stem cells because they give rise to the major of cell types in the human body. This can also generate cells and tissues that is being used in transplantation. Moreover, they can evolve into specialized cells that can replace damaged cells and tissues. Another is drug research where instead of using animals to try a drug, cells grown from pluripotent stem cells are the ones used for testing.

Controlling the development of pluripotent stem cells into many different type of cells in the body are what the researchers are trying to learn. The ethical issues and rejection of a human body to cells due to their immune system are also challenges that the researchers are facing.

Many people suffering from severe diseases can be treated by pluripotent stem cells but still, researches and ethical challenges must be taken into consideration before the people can totally use this scientificdevelopment.