Stem cells are stirring up great excitement in medical research. What are they and why are scientists so intrigued by them?
Stem cells have been part of us since birth. They are in our hair, skin, intestines, bone marrow, brain, joints, and muscles. As we grow through childhood and adolescence, stem cells generate new tissue and when we have stopped growing, they replace damaged and aged tissue. It is this ability to repair damaged tissue that makes stem cells so unique, and their potential application in modern medicine so far-reaching.