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Recent breakthroughs in stem cell research have revolutionized the
practice of regenerative medicine - offering hope for patients with
life threatening diseases. The two major milestones that opened up
the possibility of stem cell therapy are:
Identification of
human pluripotent stem cells from embryonic and fetal tissue in
1998.
When human embryonic stem cells were derived from human blastocysts
and similar cells were isolated from germ tissue, these stem cells
were found to be able to divide indefinitely.
The ability of these cells to form the three major tissue types
indicates that the cells are pluripotent.
The possibility of adult stem cells having greater
'plasticity'.
Adult stem cells are capable of developing into cell types outside
the tissue of origin. For example, human blood stem cells have been
shown to differentiate into liver cells. However, while scientists
now believe that some adult stem cells from one tissue can develop
into cells of another tissue, no adult stem cell has been
definitively shown to be completely pluripotent.
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