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Medical Author:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• What are stem cells?
• Why are stem cells important?
• What are some different types of stem cells?
• Embryonic stem cells
• Fetal stem cells
• Adult stem cells
• Peripheral blood stem cells
• Umbilical cord stem cells
• Induced pluripotent stem cells
• Why is there controversy surrounding the use of stem cells?
• What are some stem cell therapies that are currently available?
• What are experimental treatments using stem cells and possible future directions for stem cell therapy?
• Stem Cells At A Glance
• Stem Cells Index

Stem cell therapy is an exciting and active field of biomedical research. Scientists and physicians are investigating the use of stem cells in therapies to treat a wide variety of diseases and injuries. For a stem cell therapy to be successful, a number of factors must be considered. The appropriate type of stem cell must be chosen, and the stem cells must be matched to the recipient so that they are not destroyed by the recipient's immune system. It is also critical to develop a system for effective delivery of the stem cells to the desired location in the body. Finally, devising methods to "switch on" and control the differentiation of stem cells and ensure that they develop into the desired tissue type is critical for the success of any stem cell therapy.

Researchers are currently examining the use of stem cells to regenerate damaged or diseased tissue in many conditions, including those listed below.

• Heart disease
  
  
• Parkinson's disease
  
  
• Spinal cord injury
  
  
• Diabetes mellitus
  
  
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
  
  
• Arthritis
  
  
• Burns

• Stem cells are primitive cells that have the potential to differentiate, or develop into, a variety of specific cell types.
  
  
• There are different types of stem cells based upon their origin and ability to differentiate.
  
  
• Bone marrow transplantation is an example of a stem cell therapy that is in widespread use.
  
  
• Research is underway to determine whether stem cell therapy may be useful in treating a wide variety of conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injury.

REFERENCE: Stem Cell Information, US National Institutes of Health resource for stem cell research