Stem Cell Basics

About this document

This primer on stem cells is intended for anyone who wishes to learn more about the
biological properties of stem cells, the important questions about stem cells that are the
focus of scientific research, and the potential use of stem cells in research and in treating
disease. The primer includes information about stem cells derived from embryonic and
non-embryonic tissues. Much of the information included here is about stem cells derived
from human tissues, but some studies of animal-derived stem cells are also described.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) developed this primer to help readers understand
the answers to questions such as:

ff What are stem cells?

ff What are the different types of stem cells, and where do they come from?
ff What is the potential for new medical treatments using stem cells?
ff What research is needed to make such treatments a reality?

This document provides basic information about stem cells. More detailed discussion is
available from the NIH stem cell reports at http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/. Quick answers
to specific common queries can be found on the Frequently Asked Questions page.

Throughout “Stem Cell Basics,” many technical terms appear in bold, underlined maroon
type. Click the term to see its definition in the Glossary at the end of the primer.

I. Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important?

Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the
body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a sort of
internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as
the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential
either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized
function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.

Stem cells are distinguished from other cell types by two important characteristics.
First, they are unspecialized cells capable of renewing themselves through cell division,
sometimes after long periods of inactivity. Second, under certain physiologic or
experimental conditions, they can be induced to become tissue- or organ-specific cells

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with special functions. In some organs, such as the gut and bone marrow, stem cells
regularly divide to repair and replace worn out or damaged tissues. In other organs,
however, such as the pancreas and the heart, stem cells only divide under special
conditions.

Until recently, scientists primarily worked with two kinds of stem cells from animals and
humans: embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic “somatic” or “adult” stem cells. The
functions and characteristics of these cells will be explained in this document. Scientists
discovered ways to derive embryonic stem cells from early mouse embryos nearly 30 years
ago, in 1981. The detailed study of the biology of mouse stem cells led to the discovery,
in 1998, of a method to derive stem cells from human embryos and grow the cells in the
laboratory. These cells are called human embryonic stem cells. The embryos used in these
studies were created for reproductive purposes through in vitro fertilization procedures.
When they were no longer needed for that purpose, they were donated for research with
the informed consent of the donor. In 2006, researchers made another breakthrough by
identifying conditions that would allow some specialized adult cells to be “reprogrammed”
genetically to assume a stem cell-like state. This new type of stem cell, called induced
pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs), will be discussed in a later section of this document.

Stem cells are important for living organisms for many reasons. In the 3- to 5-day-old
embryo, called a blastocyst, the inner cells give rise to the entire body of the organism,
including all of the many specialized cell types and organs such as the heart, lung, skin,
sperm, eggs and other tissues. In some adult tissues, such as bone marrow, muscle, and
brain, discrete populations of adult stem cells generate replacements for cells that are lost
through normal wear and tear, injury, or disease.

Given their unique regenerative abilities, stem cells offer new potentials for treating
diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. However, much work remains to be done in the
laboratory and the clinic to understand how to use these cells for cell-based therapies to
treat disease, which is also referred to as regenerative or reparative medicine.

Laboratory studies of stem cells enable scientists to learn about the cells’ essential
properties and what makes them different from specialized cell types. Scientists are
already using stem cells in the laboratory to screen new drugs and to develop model
systems to study normal growth and identify the causes of birth defects.

Research on stem cells continues to advance knowledge about how an organism develops
from a single cell and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms. Stem cell
research is one of the most fascinating areas of contemporary biology, but, as with many
expanding fields of scientific inquiry, research on stem cells raises scientific questions as
rapidly as it generates new discoveries.

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II. What are the unique properties of all stem cells?

Stem cells differ from other types of cells in the body. All stem cells—regardless of their
source—have three general properties: 1) they are capable of dividing and renewing
themselves for long periods; 2) they are unspecialized; and 3) they can give rise to
specialized cell types.

Stem cells are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods. Unlike muscle
cells, blood cells, or nerve cells—which do not normally replicate themselves—stem
cells may replicate many times, or proliferate. A starting population of stem cells that
proliferates for many months in the laboratory can yield millions of cells. If the resulting
cells continue to be unspecialized, like the parent stem cells, the cells are said to be capable
of long-term self-renewal.

Scientists are trying to understand two fundamental properties of stem cells that relate to
their long-term self-renewal:

1. Why can embryonic stem cells proliferate for a year or more in the
laboratory without differentiating, but most non-embryonic stem cells
(adult stem cells) cannot; and
2. What factors in living organisms normally regulate stem cell
proliferation and self-renewal?

Discovering the answers to these questions may make it possible to understand how cell
proliferation is regulated during normal embryonic development or during the abnormal
cell division that leads to cancer. Such information would also enable scientists to grow
embryonic and non-embryonic stem cells more efficiently in the laboratory.

The specific factors and conditions that allow stem cells to remain unspecialized are of
great interest to scientists. It has taken many years of trial and error to learn to derive and
maintain stem cells in the laboratory without them spontaneously differentiating into
specific cell types. For example, it took two decades to learn how to grow human embryonic
stem cells in the laboratory following the development of conditions for growing mouse
stem cells. Therefore, understanding the signals in a mature organism that cause a stem
cell population to proliferate and remain unspecialized until the cells are needed. Such
information is critical for scientists to be able to grow large numbers of unspecialized stem
cells in the laboratory for further experimentation.

Stem cells are unspecialized. One of the fundamental properties of a stem cell is that it does
not have any tissue-specific structures that allow it to perform specialized functions. For
example, a stem cell cannot work with its neighbors to pump blood through the body

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(like a heart muscle cell), and it cannot carry oxygen molecules through the bloodstream
(like a red blood cell). However, unspecialized stem cells can give rise to specialized cells,
including heart muscle cells, blood cells, or nerve cells.

Stem cells can give rise to specialized cells. When unspecialized stem cells give rise to
specialized cells, the process is called differentiation. While differentiating, the cell usually
goes through several stages, becoming more specialized at each step. Scientists are just
beginning to understand the signals inside and outside cells that trigger each step of the
differentiation process. The internal signals are controlled by a cell’s genes, which are
interspersed across long strands of DNA, and carry coded instructions for all cellular
structures and functions. The external signals for cell differentiation include chemicals
secreted by other cells, physical contact with neighboring cells, and certain molecules in
the microenvironment. The interaction of signals during differentiation causes the cell’s
DNA to acquire epigenetic marks that restrict DNA expression in the cell and can be
passed on through cell division.

Many questions about stem cell differentiation remain. For example, are the internal and
external signals for cell differentiation similar for all kinds of stem cells? Can specific sets
of signals be identified that promote differentiation into specific cell types? Addressing
these questions may lead scientists to find new ways to control stem cell differentiation in
the laboratory, thereby growing cells or tissues that can be used for specific purposes such
as cell-based therapies or drug screening.

Adult stem cells typically generate the cell types of the tissue in which they reside. For
example, a blood-forming adult stem cell in the bone marrow normally gives rise to the
many types of blood cells. It is generally accepted that a blood-forming cell in the bone
marrow—which is called a hematopoietic stem cell—cannot give rise to the cells of a very
different tissue, such as nerve cells in the brain. Experiments over the last several years have
purported to show that stem cells from one tissue may give rise to cell types of a completely
different tissue. This remains an area of great debate within the research community. This
controversy demonstrates the challenges of studying adult stem cells and suggests that
additional research using adult stem cells is necessary to understand their full potential as
future therapies.

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III. What are embryonic stem cells?

A. What stages of early embryonic development are important for generating embryonic
stem cells?

Embryonic stem cells, as their name suggests, are derived from embryos. Most embryonic
stem cells are derived from embryos that develop from eggs that have been fertilized in
vitro—in an in vitro fertilization clinic—and then donated for research purposes with
informed consent of the donors. They are not derived from eggs fertilized in a woman’s
body. The embryos from which human embryonic stem cells are derived are typically
four or five days old and are a hollow microscopic ball of cells called the blastocyst.
The blastocyst includes three structures: the trophoblast, which is the layer of cells that
surrounds the blastocoel, a hollow cavity inside the blastocyst; and the inner cell mass,
which is a group of cells at one end of the blastocoel that develop into the embryo proper.

B. How are embryonic stem cells grown in the laboratory?

Growing cells in the laboratory is known as cell culture. Human embryonic stem cells
are isolated by transferring the inner cell mass into a plastic laboratory culture dish that
contains a nutrient broth known as culture medium. The cells divide and spread over the
surface of the dish. The inner surface of the culture dish is typically coated with mouse
embryonic skin cells that have been treated so they will not divide. This coating layer of
cells is called a feeder layer. The mouse cells in the bottom of the culture dish provide the
inner cell mass cells a sticky surface to which they can attach. Also, the feeder cells release
nutrients into the culture medium. Researchers have devised ways to grow embryonic
stem cells without mouse feeder cells. This is a significant scientific advance because of the
risk that viruses or other macromolecules in the mouse cells may be transmitted to the
human cells.

The process of generating an embryonic stem cell line is somewhat inefficient, so lines
are not produced each time an inner cell mass is placed into a culture dish. However, if
the plated inner cell mass cells survive, divide, and multiply enough to crowd the dish,
they are removed gently and plated into several fresh culture dishes. The process of re-
plating or subculturing the cells is repeated many times and for many months. Each
cycle of subculturing the cells is referred to as a passage. Once the cell line is established,
the original cells yield millions of embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells that have
proliferated in cell culture for six or more months without differentiating, are pluripotent,
and appear genetically normal are referred to as an embryonic stem cell line. At any stage
in the process, batches of cells can be frozen and shipped to other laboratories for further
culture and experimentation.

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C. What laboratory tests are used to identify embryonic stem cells?

At various points during the process of generating embryonic stem cell lines, scientists
test the cells to see whether they exhibit the fundamental properties that make them
embryonic stem cells. This process is called characterization.

Scientists who study human embryonic stem cells have not yet agreed on a standard
battery of tests that measure the cells’ fundamental properties. However, laboratories that
grow human embryonic stem cell lines use several kinds of tests, including:

ff Growing and subculturing the stem cells for many months. This
ensures that the cells are capable of long-term growth and self-renewal.
Scientists inspect the cultures through a microscope to see that the cells
look healthy and remain undifferentiated.
ff Using specific techniques to determine the presence of transcription
factors that are typically produced by undifferentiated cells. Two of the
most important transcription factors are Nanog and Oct4. Transcription
factors help turn genes on and off at the right time, which is an
important part of the processes of cell differentiation and embryonic
development. In this case, both Oct4 and Nanog are associated with
maintaining the stem cells in an undifferentiated state, capable of self-
renewal.
ff Using specific techniques to determine the presence of particular cell
surface markers that are typically produced by undifferentiated cells.
ff Examining the chromosomes under a microscope. This is a method
to assess whether the chromosomes are damaged or if the number of
chromosomes has changed. It does not detect genetic mutations in the
cells.
ff Determining whether the cells can be re-grown, or subcultured, after
freezing, thawing, and re-plating.
ff Testing whether the human embryonic stem cells are pluripotent by
1) allowing the cells to differentiate spontaneously in cell culture;
2) manipulating the cells so they will differentiate to form cells
characteristic of the three germ layers; or 3) injecting the cells into a
mouse with a suppressed immune system to test for the formation of a
benign tumor called a teratoma. Since the mouse’s immune system is
suppressed, the injected human stem cells are not rejected by the mouse
immune system and scientists can observe growth and differentiation
of the human stem cells. Teratomas typically contain a mixture of many
differentiated or partly differentiated cell types—an indication that the
embryonic stem cells are capable of differentiating into multiple cell types.

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D. How are embryonic stem cells stimulated to differentiate?

As long as the embryonic stem cells in culture are grown under appropriate conditions, they
can remain undifferentiated (unspecialized). But if cells are allowed to clump together to
form embryoid bodies, they begin to differentiate spontaneously. They can form muscle
cells, nerve cells, and many other cell types. Although spontaneous differentiation is a good
indicator that a culture of embryonic stem cells is healthy, the process is uncontrolled and
therefore an inefficient strategy to produce cultures of specific cell types.

So, to generate cultures of specific types of differentiated cells—heart muscle cells, blood
cells, or nerve cells, for example—scientists try to control the differentiation of embryonic
stem cells. They change the chemical composition of the culture medium, alter the
surface of the culture dish, or modify the cells by inserting specific genes. Through years
of experimentation, scientists have established some basic protocols or “recipes” for the
directed differentiation of embryonic stem cells into some specific cell types (Figure 1).
(For additional examples of directed differentiation of embryonic stem cells, refer to the
NIH stem cell reports available at http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/2006report/ and http://
stemcells.nih.gov/info/2001report/2001report.htm)
© 2008 Therese Winslow

Figure 1. Directed differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

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If scientists can reliably direct the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into specific cell
types, they may be able to use the resulting, differentiated cells to treat certain diseases in
the future. Diseases that might be treated by transplanting cells generated from human
embryonic stem cells include diabetes, traumatic spinal cord injury, Duchenne’s muscular
dystrophy, heart disease, and vision and hearing loss.

IV. What are adult stem cells?

An adult stem cell is thought to be an undifferentiated cell, found among differentiated

cells in a tissue or organ that can renew itself and can differentiate to yield some or all of the
major specialized cell types of the tissue or organ. The primary roles of adult stem cells in a
living organism are to maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found. Scientists also
use the term somatic stem cell instead of adult stem cell, where somatic refers to cells of the
body (not the germ cells, sperm or eggs). Unlike embryonic stem cells, which are defined
by their origin (the inner cell mass of the blastocyst), the origin of adult stem cells in some
mature tissues is still under investigation.

Research on adult stem cells has generated a great deal of excitement. Scientists have
found adult stem cells in many more tissues than they once thought possible. This finding
has led researchers and clinicians to ask whether adult stem cells could be used for
transplants. In fact, adult hematopoietic, or blood-forming, stem cells from bone marrow
have been used in transplants for 40 years. Scientists now have evidence that stem cells
exist in the brain and the heart. If the differentiation of adult stem cells can be controlled
in the laboratory, these cells may become the basis of transplantation-based therapies.

The history of research on adult stem cells began about 50 years ago. In the 1950s,
researchers discovered that the bone marrow contains at least two kinds of stem cells. One
population, called hematopoietic stem cells, forms all the types of blood cells in the body.
A second population, called bone marrow stromal stem cells (also called mesenchymal
stem cells, or skeletal stem cells by some) were discovered a few years later. These non-
hematopoietic stem cells make up a small proportion of the stromal cell population in
the bone marrow, and can generate bone, cartilage, fat, cells that support the formation of
blood, and fibrous connective tissue.

In the 1960s, scientists who were studying rats discovered two regions of the brain that
contained dividing cells that ultimately become nerve cells. Despite these reports, most
scientists believed that the adult brain could not generate new nerve cells. It was not until
the 1990s that scientists agreed that the adult brain does contain stem cells that are able to
generate the brain’s three major cell types—astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, which are
non-neuronal cells, and neurons, or nerve cells.

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A. Where are adult stem cells found, and what do they normally do?

Adult stem cells have been identified in many organs and tissues, including brain, bone
marrow, peripheral blood, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, skin, teeth, heart, gut, liver,
ovarian epithelium, and testis. They are thought to reside in a specific area of each tissue
(called a “stem cell niche”). In many tissues, current evidence suggests that some types
of stem cells are pericytes, cells that compose the outermost layer of small blood vessels.
Stem cells may remain quiescent (non-dividing) for long periods of time until they are
activated by a normal need for more cells to maintain tissues, or by disease or tissue
injury.

Typically, there is a very small number of stem cells in each tissue, and once removed from
the body, their capacity to divide is limited, making generation of large quantities of stem
cells difficult. Scientists in many laboratories are trying to find better ways to grow large
quantities of adult stem cells in cell culture and to manipulate them to generate specific
cell types so they can be used to treat injury or disease. Some examples of potential
treatments include regenerating bone using cells derived from bone marrow stroma,
developing insulin-producing cells for type 1 diabetes, and repairing damaged heart
muscle following a heart attack with cardiac muscle cells.

B. What tests are used to identify adult stem cells?

Scientists often use one or more of the following methods to identify adult stem cells: (1)
label the cells in a living tissue with molecular markers and then determine the specialized
cell types they generate; (2) remove the cells from a living animal, label them in cell
culture, and transplant them back into another animal to determine whether the cells
replace (or “repopulate”) their tissue of origin.

Importantly, it must be demonstrated that a single adult stem cell can generate a line of
genetically identical cells that then gives rise to all the appropriate differentiated cell types
of the tissue. To confirm experimentally that a putative adult stem cell is indeed a stem
cell, scientists tend to show either that the cell can give rise to these genetically identical
cells in culture, and/or that a purified population of these candidate stem cells can
repopulate or reform the tissue after transplant into an animal.

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C. What is known about adult stem cell differentiation?

As indicated above, scientists have reported that adult stem cells occur in many tissues and
that they enter normal differentiation pathways to form the specialized cell types of the
tissue in which they reside.

Normal differentiation pathways of adult stem cells. In a living animal, adult stem cells are
available to divide for a long period, when needed, and can give rise to mature cell types
that have characteristic shapes and specialized structures and functions of a particular
tissue. The following are examples of differentiation pathways of adult stem cells
(Figure 2) that have been demonstrated in vitro or in vivo.

© 2008 Therese Winslow

Figure 2. Hematopoietic and stromal stem cell differentiation.

ff Hematopoietic stem cells give rise to all the types of blood cells:
red blood cells, B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, natural killer cells,
neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, monocytes, and macrophages.
ff Mesenchymal stem cells have been reported to be present in many
tissues. Those from bone marrow (bone marrow stromal stem cells,
skeletal stem cells) give rise to a variety of cell types: bone cells
(osteoblasts and osteocytes), cartilage cells (chondrocytes), fat cells
(adipocytes), and stromal cells that support blood formation. However,
it is not yet clear how similar or dissimilar mesenchymal cells derived

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 from non-bone marrow sources are to those from bone marrow stroma.
ff Neural stem cells in the brain give rise to its three major cell types: nerve
cells (neurons) and two categories of non-neuronal cells—astrocytes
and oligodendrocytes.
ff Epithelial stem cells in the lining of the digestive tract occur in deep
crypts and give rise to several cell types: absorptive cells, goblet cells,
Paneth cells, and enteroendocrine cells.
ff Skin stem cells occur in the basal layer of the epidermis and at the base
of hair follicles. The epidermal stem cells give rise to keratinocytes,
which migrate to the surface of the skin and form a protective layer.
The follicular stem cells can give rise to both the hair follicle and to the
epidermis.

Transdifferentiation. A number of experiments have reported that certain adult stem cell
types can differentiate into cell types seen in organs or tissues other than those expected
from the cells’ predicted lineage (i.e., brain stem cells that differentiate into blood cells
or blood-forming cells that differentiate into cardiac muscle cells, and so forth). This
reported phenomenon is called transdifferentiation.

Although isolated instances of transdifferentiation have been observed in some vertebrate

species, whether this phenomenon actually occurs in humans is under debate by the
scientific community. Instead of transdifferentiation, the observed instances may involve
fusion of a donor cell with a recipient cell. Another possibility is that transplanted stem
cells are secreting factors that encourage the recipient’s own stem cells to begin the repair
process. Even when transdifferentiation has been detected, only a very small percentage of
cells undergo the process.

In a variation of transdifferentiation experiments, scientists have recently demonstrated

that certain adult cell types can be “reprogrammed” into other cell types in vivo using a
well-controlled process of genetic modification (see Section VI for a discussion of the
principles of reprogramming). This strategy may offer a way to reprogram available cells
into other cell types that have been lost or damaged due to disease. For example, one
recent experiment shows how pancreatic beta cells, the insulin-producing cells that are
lost or damaged in diabetes, could possibly be created by reprogramming other pancreatic
cells. By “re-starting” expression of three critical beta-cell genes in differentiated adult
pancreatic exocrine cells, researchers were able to create beta cell–like cells that can
secrete insulin. The reprogrammed cells were similar to beta cells in appearance, size, and
shape; expressed genes characteristic of beta cells; and were able to partially restore blood
sugar regulation in mice whose own beta cells had been chemically destroyed. While not
transdifferentiation by definition, this method for reprogramming adult cells may be used
as a model for directly reprogramming other adult cell types.

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In addition to reprogramming cells to become a specific cell type, it is now possible
to reprogram adult somatic cells to become like embryonic stem cells (induced
pluripotent stem cells, iPSCs) through the introduction of embryonic genes. Thus, a
source of cells can be generated that are specific to the donor, thereby avoiding issues
of histocompatibility, if such cells were to be used for tissue regeneration. However, like
embryonic stem cells, determination of the methods by which iPSCs can be completely
and reproducibly committed to appropriate cell lineages is still under investigation.

D. What are the key questions about adult stem cells?

Many important questions about adult stem cells remain to be answered. They include:

ff How many kinds of adult stem cells exist, and in which tissues do they
exist?
ff How do adult stem cells evolve during development and how are they
maintained in the adult? Are they “leftover” embryonic stem cells, or do
they arise in some other way?
ff Why do stem cells remain in an undifferentiated state when all the cells
around them have differentiated? What are the characteristics of their
“niche” that controls their behavior?
ff Do adult stem cells have the capacity to transdifferentiate, and is it
possible to control this process to improve its reliability and efficiency?
ff If the beneficial effect of adult stem cell transplantation is a trophic
effect, what are the mechanisms? Is donor cell-recipient cell contact
required, secretion of factors by the donor cell, or both?
ff What are the factors that control adult stem cell proliferation and
differentiation?
ff What are the factors that stimulate stem cells to relocate to sites of injury
or damage, and how can this process be enhanced for better healing?

V. What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and

adult stem cells?

Human embryonic and adult stem cells each have advantages and disadvantages
regarding potential use for cell-based regenerative therapies. One major difference
between adult and embryonic stem cells is their different abilities in the number and type
of differentiated cell types they can become. Embryonic stem cells can become all cell
types of the body because they are pluripotent. Adult stem cells are thought to be limited
to differentiating into different cell types of their tissue of origin.

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Embryonic stem cells can be grown relatively easily in culture. Adult stem cells are rare in
mature tissues, so isolating these cells from an adult tissue is challenging, and methods to
expand their numbers in cell culture have not yet been worked out. This is an important
distinction, as large numbers of cells are needed for stem cell replacement therapies.

Scientists believe that tissues derived from embryonic and adult stem cells may differ in
the likelihood of being rejected after transplantation. We don’t yet know whether tissues
derived from embryonic stem cells would cause transplant rejection, since the first phase 1
clinical trial testing the safety of cells derived from hESCS has only recently been approved
by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Adult stem cells, and tissues derived from them, are currently believed less likely to
initiate rejection after transplantation. This is because a patient’s own cells could be
expanded in culture, coaxed into assuming a specific cell type (differentiation), and then
reintroduced into the patient. The use of adult stem cells and tissues derived from the
patient’s own adult stem cells would mean that the cells are less likely to be rejected by
the immune system. This represents a significant advantage, as immune rejection can be
circumvented only by continuous administration of immunosuppressive drugs, and the
drugs themselves may cause deleterious side effects.

VI. What are induced pluripotent stem cells?

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are adult cells that have been genetically
reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell–like state by being forced to express genes
and factors important for maintaining the defining properties of embryonic stem cells.
Although these cells meet the defining criteria for pluripotent stem cells, it is not known
if iPSCs and embryonic stem cells differ in clinically significant ways. Mouse iPSCs were
first reported in 2006, and human iPSCs were first reported in late 2007. Mouse iPSCs
demonstrate important characteristics of pluripotent stem cells, including expressing stem
cell markers, forming tumors containing cells from all three germ layers, and being able
to contribute to many different tissues when injected into mouse embryos at a very early
stage in development. Human iPSCs also express stem cell markers and are capable of
generating cells characteristic of all three germ layers.

Although additional research is needed, iPSCs are already useful tools for drug
development and modeling of diseases, and scientists hope to use them in transplantation
medicine. Viruses are currently used to introduce the reprogramming factors into adult
cells, and this process must be carefully controlled and tested before the technique can
lead to useful treatments for humans. In animal studies, the virus used to introduce the
stem cell factors sometimes causes cancers. Researchers are currently investigating non-

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viral delivery strategies. In any case, this breakthrough discovery has created a powerful
new way to “de-differentiate” cells whose developmental fates had been previously
assumed to be determined. In addition, tissues derived from iPSCs will be a nearly
identical match to the cell donor and thus probably avoid rejection by the immune
system. The iPSC strategy creates pluripotent stem cells that, together with studies of
other types of pluripotent stem cells, will help researchers learn how to reprogram cells to
repair damaged tissues in the human body.

VII. What are the potential uses of human stem cells and the obstacles that must be
overcome before these potential uses will be realized?

There are many ways in which human stem cells can be used in research and the clinic.
Studies of human embryonic stem cells will yield information about the complex events
that occur during human development. A primary goal of this work is to identify how
undifferentiated stem cells become the differentiated cells that form the tissues and
organs. Scientists know that turning genes on and off is central to this process. Some of
the most serious medical conditions, such as cancer and birth defects, are due to abnormal
cell division and differentiation. A more complete understanding of the genetic and
molecular controls of these processes may yield information about how such diseases
arise and suggest new strategies for therapy. Predictably controlling cell proliferation and
differentiation requires additional basic research on the molecular and genetic signals that
regulate cell division and specialization. While recent developments with iPS cells suggest
some of the specific factors that may be involved, techniques must be devised to introduce
these factors safely into the cells and control the processes that are induced by these factors.

Human stem cells could also be used to test new drugs. For example, new medications
could be tested for safety on differentiated cells generated from human pluripotent cell
lines. Other kinds of cell lines are already used in this way. Cancer cell lines, for example,
are used to screen potential anti-tumor drugs. The availability of pluripotent stem
cells would allow drug testing in a wider range of cell types. However, to screen drugs
effectively, the conditions must be identical when comparing different drugs. Therefore,
scientists will have to be able to precisely control the differentiation of stem cells into
the specific cell type on which drugs will be tested. Current knowledge of the signals
controlling differentiation falls short of being able to mimic these conditions precisely to
generate pure populations of differentiated cells for each drug being tested.

Perhaps the most important potential application of human stem cells is the generation
of cells and tissues that could be used for cell-based therapies. Today, donated organs and
tissues are often used to replace ailing or destroyed tissue, but the need for transplantable
tissues and organs far outweighs the available supply. Stem cells, directed to differentiate

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 into specific cell types, offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and
tissues to treat diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns,
heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

For example, it may become possible to generate healthy heart muscle cells in the laboratory
and then transplant those cells into patients with chronic heart disease. Preliminary research
in mice and other animals indicates that bone marrow stromal cells, transplanted into a
damaged heart, can have beneficial effects. Whether these cells can generate heart muscle
cells or stimulate the growth of new blood vessels that repopulate the heart tissue, or help via
some other mechanism is actively under investigation. For example, injected cells may repair
by secreting growth factors, rather than actually incorporating into the heart. Promising
results from animal studies have served as the basis for a small number of exploratory
studies in humans (see “Can Stem Cells Mend a Broken Heart?” on page 16). Other recent
studies in cell culture systems indicate that it may be possible to direct the differentiation of
embryonic stem cells or adult bone marrow cells into heart muscle cells (Figure 3).
© 2008 Therese Winslow

Figure 3. Strategies to repair heart muscle with adult stem cells.

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 Can Stem Cells Mend a Broken Heart?:
Stem Cells for the Future Treatment of Heart Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes hypertension, coronary heart disease,

stroke, and congestive heart failure, has ranked as the number one cause of death in
the United States every year since 1900 except 1918, when the nation struggled with an
influenza epidemic. Nearly 2,600 Americans die of CVD each day, roughly one person
every 34 seconds. Given the aging of the population and the relatively dramatic recent
increases in the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity and type 2
diabetes, CVD will be a significant health concern well into the 21st century.

Cardiovascular disease can deprive heart tissue of oxygen, thereby killing cardiac
muscle cells (cardiomyocytes). This loss triggers a cascade of detrimental events,
including formation of scar tissue, an overload of blood flow and pressure capacity,
the overstretching of viable cardiac cells attempting to sustain cardiac output, leading
to heart failure, and eventual death. Restoring damaged heart muscle tissue, through
repair or regeneration, is therefore a potentially new strategy to treat heart failure.

The use of embryonic and adult-derived stem cells for cardiac repair is an active area
of research. A number of stem cell types, including embryonic stem (ES) cells, cardiac
stem cells that naturally reside within the heart, myoblasts (muscle stem cells), adult
bone marrow–derived cells including mesenchymal cells (bone marrow–derived cells
that give rise to tissues such as muscle, bone, tendons, ligaments, and adipose tissue),
endothelial progenitor cells (cells that give rise to the endothelium, the interior lining
of blood vessels), and umbilical cord blood cells, have been investigated as possible
sources for regenerating damaged heart tissue. All have been explored in mouse or rat
models, and some have been tested in larger animal models, such as pigs.

A few small studies have also been carried out in humans, usually in patients who are
undergoing open-heart surgery. Several of these have demonstrated that stem cells
that are injected into the circulation or directly into the injured heart tissue appear
to improve cardiac function and/or induce the formation of new capillaries. The
mechanism for this repair remains controversial, and the stem cells likely regenerate
heart tissue through several pathways. However, the stem cell populations that have
been tested in these experiments vary widely, as do the conditions of their purification
and application. Although much more research is needed to assess the safety and
improve the efficacy of this approach, these preliminary clinical experiments show
how stem cells may one day be used to repair damaged heart tissue, thereby reducing
the burden of cardiovascular disease.

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In people who suffer from type 1 diabetes, the cells of the pancreas that normally produce
insulin are destroyed by the patient’s own immune system. New studies indicate that it
may be possible to direct the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells in cell culture
to form insulin-producing cells that eventually could be used in transplantation therapy
for persons with diabetes.

To realize the promise of novel cell-based therapies for such pervasive and debilitating
diseases, scientists must be able to manipulate stem cells so that they possess the necessary
characteristics for successful differentiation, transplantation, and engraftment. The
following is a list of steps in successful cell-based treatments that scientists will have
to learn to control to bring such treatments to the clinic. To be useful for transplant
purposes, stem cells must be reproducibly made to:

ff Proliferate extensively and generate sufficient quantities of cells for

making tissue.
ff Differentiate into the desired cell type(s).
ff Survive in the recipient after transplant.
ff Integrate into the surrounding tissue after transplant.
ff Function appropriately for the duration of the recipient’s life.
ff Avoid harming the recipient in any way.

Also, to avoid the problem of immune rejection, scientists are experimenting with
different research strategies to generate tissues that will not be rejected.

To summarize, stem cells offer exciting promise for future therapies, but significant
technical hurdles remain that will only be overcome through years of intensive research.

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VIII. Where can I get more information?

For a more detailed discussion of stem cells, see the NIH’s Stem Cell Reports. Check the
Frequently Asked Questions page for quick answers to specific queries.

The following websites, which are not part of the NIH Stem Cell Information site, also
contain information about stem cells. The NIH is not responsible for the content of these
sites.

ff http://www.isscr.org/public Stem cell information for the public from

the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR).
ff http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/stemcells.html Medline Plus is a
consumer health database that includes news, health resources, clinical
trials, and more.
ff http://www.explorestemcells.co.uk A United Kingdom–based resource
for the general public that discusses the use of stem cells in medical
treatments and therapies.
ff http://www.stemcellresearchnews.com A commercial, online newsletter
that features stories about stem cells of all types.

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Glossary Cell division—Method by which a single
cell divides to create two cells. There
Adult stem cell—See Somatic stem cell. are two main types of cell division
depending on what happens to the
Astrocyte—A type of supporting (glial) cell chromosomes: mitosis and meiosis.
found in the nervous system.
Chromosome—A structure consisting
Blastocoel—The fluid-filled cavity inside of DNA and regulatory proteins
the blastocyst, an early, preimplantation found in the nucleus of the cell. The
stage of the developing embryo. DNA in the nucleus is usually divided
up among several chromosomes.
Blastocyst—A preimplantation embryo of The number of chromosomes in the
about 150 cells produced by cell division nucleus varies depending on the species
following fertilization. The blastocyst of the organism. Humans have 46
is a sphere made up of an outer layer chromosomes.
of cells (the trophoblast), a fluid-filled
cavity (the blastocoel), and a cluster Clone—(v) To generate identical copies
of cells on the interior (the inner cell of a region of a DNA molecule or to
mass). generate genetically identical copies of
a cell, or organism; (n) The identical
Bone marrow stromal cells—A population molecule, cell, or organism that results
of cells found in bone marrow that are from the cloning process.
different from blood cells.
1. In reference to DNA: To clone a
Bone marrow stromal stem cells gene, one finds the region where
(skeletal stem cells)—A multipotent the gene resides on the DNA and
subset of bone marrow stromal cells copies that section of the DNA using
able to form bone, cartilage, stromal laboratory techniques.
cells that support blood formation, fat, 2. In reference to cells grown in a tissue
and fibrous tissue. culture dish:a clone is a line of cells
that is genetically identical to the
Cell-based therapies—Treatment in which originating cell. This cloned line is
stem cells are induced to differentiate produced by cell division (mitosis)
into the specific cell type required to of the original cell.
repair damaged or destroyed cells or 3. In reference or organisms: Many
tissues. natural clones are produced by
plants and (mostly invertebrate)
Cell culture—Growth of cells in vitro in animals. The term clone may also be
an artificial medium for experimental used to refer to an animal produced
research. by somatic cell nuclear transfer
(SCNT) or parthenogenesis.

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Cloning—See Clone. Embryo—In humans, the developing
organism from the time of fertilization
Cord blood stem cells—See Umbilical cord until the end of the eighth week of
blood stem cells. gestation, when it is called a fetus.

Culture medium—The liquid that covers Embryoid bodies—Rounded collections

cells in a culture dish and contains of cells that arise when embryonic
nutrients to nourish and support the stem cells are cultured in suspension.
cells. Culture medium may also include Embryoid bodies contain cell types
growth factors added to produce desired derived from all 3 germ layers.
changes in the cells.
Embryonic germ cells—Pluripotent stem
Differentiation—The process whereby cells that are derived from early germ
an unspecialized embryonic cell cells (those that would become sperm
acquires the features of a specialized and eggs). Embryonic germ cells (EG
cell such as a heart, liver, or muscle cells) are thought to have properties
cell. Differentiation is controlled by similar to embryonic stem cells.
the interaction of a cell’s genes with
the physical and chemical conditions Embryonic stem cells—Primitive
outside the cell, usually through (undifferentiated) cells derived from
signaling pathways involving proteins a 5-day preimplantation embryo
embedded in the cell surface. that are capable of dividing without
differentiating for a prolonged period in
Directed differentiation—The culture, and are known to develop into
manipulation of stem cell culture cells and tissues of the three primary
conditions to induce differentiation into germ layers.
a particular cell type.
Embryonic stem cell line—Embryonic
DNA—Deoxyribonucleic acid, a chemical stem cells, which have been cultured
found primarily in the nucleus of under in vitro conditions that allow
cells. DNA carries the instructions or proliferation without differentiation for
blueprint for making all the structures months to years.
and materials the body needs to function.
DNA consists of both genes and non- Endoderm—The innermost layer of the
gene DNA in between the genes. cells derived from the inner cell mass
of the blastocyst; it gives rise to lungs,
Ectoderm—The outermost germ layer of other respiratory structures, and
cells derived from the inner cell mass of digestive organs, or generally “the gut”.
the blastocyst; gives rise to the nervous
system, sensory organs, skin, and related Enucleated—Having had its nucleus
structures. removed.

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Epigenetic—Having to do with the process gastrulation, a period when the inner
by which regulatory proteins can turn cell mass becomes organized into three
genes on or off in a way that can be distinct cell layers, called germ layers.
passed on during cell division. The three layers are the ectoderm, the
mesoderm, and the endoderm.
Feeder layer—Cells used in co-culture to
maintain pluripotent stem cells. For Hematopoietic stem cell—A stem cell that
human embryonic stem cell culture, gives rise to all red and white blood cells
typical feeder layers include mouse and platelets.
embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) or
human embryonic fibroblasts that have Human embryonic stem cell (hESC)—
been treated to prevent them from A type of pluripotent stem cell derived
dividing. from the inner cell mass (ICM) of the
blastocyst.
Fertilization—The joining of the male
gamete (sperm) and the female gamete Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)—
(egg). A type of pluripotent stem cell, similar
to an embryonic stem cell, formed by
Fetus—In humans, the developing human the introduction of certain embryonic
from approximately eight weeks after genes into a somatic cell.
conception until the time of its birth.
In vitro—Latin for “in glass”; in a
Gamete—An egg (in the female) or sperm laboratory dish or test tube; an artificial
(in the male) cell. See also Somatic cell. environment.

Gastrulation—The process in which cells In vitro fertilization—A technique that

proliferate and migrate within the unites the egg and sperm in a laboratory,
embryo to transform the inner cell mass instead of inside the female body.
of the blastocyst stage into an embryo
containing all three primary germ Inner cell mass (ICM)—The cluster of cells
layers. inside the blastocyst. These cells give
rise to the embryo and ultimately the
Gene—A functional unit of heredity fetus. The ICM cells are used to generate
that is a segment of DNA found on embryonic stem cells.
chromosomes in the nucleus of a
cell. Genes direct the formation of an Long-term self-renewal—The ability
enzyme or other protein. of stem cells to renew themselves by
dividing into the same non-specialized
Germ layers—After the blastocyst stage cell type over long periods (many
of embryonic development, the inner months to years) depending on the
cell mass of the blastocyst goes through specific type of stem cell.

21
Mesenchymal stem cells—A term that Neural stem cell—A stem cell found in
is currently used to define non-blood adult neural tissue that can give rise to
adult stem cells from a variety of neurons and glial (supporting) cells.
tissues, although it is not clear that Examples of glial cells include astrocytes
mesenchymal stem cells from different and oligodendrocytes.
tissues are the same.
Neurons—Nerve cells, the principal
Meiosis—The type of cell division a functional units of the nervous system.
diploid germ cell undergoes to produce A neuron consists of a cell body and
gametes (sperm or eggs) that will carry its processes—an axon and one or
half the normal chromosome number. more dendrites. Neurons transmit
This is to ensure that when fertilization information to other neurons or cells by
occurs, the fertilized egg will carry the releasing neurotransmitters at synapses.
normal number of chromosomes rather
than causing aneuploidy (an abnormal Oligodendrocyte—A supporting cell that
number of chromosomes). provides insulation to nerve cells by
forming a myelin sheath (a fatty layer)
Mesoderm—Middle layer of a group of around axons.
cells derived from the inner cell mass
of the blastocyst; it gives rise to bone, Parthenogenesis—The artificial activation
muscle, connective tissue, kidneys, and of an egg in the absence of a sperm; the
related structures. egg begins to divide as if it has been
fertilized.
Microenvironment—The molecules and
compounds such as nutrients and Passage—In cell culture, the process in
growth factors in the fluid surrounding which cells are disassociated, washed,
a cell in an organism or in the and seeded into new culture vessels
laboratory, which play an important after a round of cell growth and
role in determining the characteristics proliferation. The number of passages a
of the cell. line of cultured cells has gone through
is an indication of its age and expected
Mitosis—The type of cell division that stability.
allows a population of cells to increase
its numbers or to maintain its numbers. Pluripotent—Having the ability to give
The number of chromosomes remains rise to all of the various cell types of
the same in this type of cell division. the body. Pluripotent cells cannot
make extra-embryonic tissues such
Multipotent—Having the ability to develop as the amnion, chorion, and other
into more than one cell type of the components of the placenta. Scientists
body. See also pluripotent and totipotent. demonstrate pluripotency by providing

22
 evidence of stable developmental Regenerative medicine—A field of
potential, even after prolonged medicine devoted to treatments
culture, to form derivatives of all in which stem cells are induced to
three embryonic germ layers from the differentiate into the specific cell type
progeny of a single cell and to generate required to repair damaged or destroyed
a teratoma after injection into an cell populations or tissues. See also cell-
immunosuppressed mouse. based therapies.

Polar Body—A polar body is a structure Reproductive cloning—The process of

produced when an early egg cell, or using somatic cell nuclear transfer
oogonium, undergoes meiosis. In the (SCNT) to produce a normal, full
first meiosis, the oogonium divides its grown organism (e.g., animal)
chromosomes evenly between the two genetically identical to the organism
cells but divides its cytoplasm unequally. (animal) that donated the somatic
One cell retains most of the cytoplasm, cell nucleus. In mammals, this would
while the other gets almost none, require implanting the resulting embryo
leaving it very small. This smaller cell in a uterus where it would undergo
is called the first polar body. The first normal development to become a live
polar body usually degenerates. The independent being. The first animal
ovum, or larger cell, then divides again, to be created by reproductive cloning
producing a second polar body with was Dolly the sheep, born at the Roslin
half the amount of chromosomes but Institute in Scotland in 1996. See also
almost no cytoplasm. The second polar Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).
body splits off and remains adjacent
to the large cell, or oocyte, until it (the Signals—Internal and external factors
second polar body) degenerates. Only that control changes in cell structure
one large functional oocyte, or egg, is and function. They can be chemical or
produced at the end of meiosis. physical in nature.

Preimplantation—With regard to an Somatic cell—Any body cell other than

embryo, preimplantation means that gametes (egg or sperm); sometimes
the embryo has not yet implanted referred to as “adult” cells. See also
in the wall of the uterus. Human Gamete.
embryonic stem cells are derived from
preimplantation stage embryos fertilized Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)—A
outside a woman’s body (in vitro). technique that combines an enucleated
egg and the nucleus of a somatic cell to
Proliferation—Expansion of the number make an embryo. SCNT can be used for
of cells by the continuous division of therapeutic or reproductive purposes,
single cells into two identical daughter but the initial stage that combines
cells. an enucleated egg and a somatic cell

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 nucleus is the same. See also Therapeutic Therapeutic cloning—The process of using
cloning and Reproductive cloning. somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)
to produce cells that exactly match
Somatic (adult) stem cell—A relatively a patient. By combining a patient’s
rare undifferentiated cell found in many somatic cell nucleus and an enucleated
organs and differentiated tissues with egg, a scientist may harvest embryonic
a limited capacity for both self renewal stem cells from the resulting embryo
(in the laboratory) and differentiation. that can be used to generate tissues that
Such cells vary in their differentiation match a patient’s body. This means the
capacity, but it is usually limited to cell tissues created are unlikely to be rejected
types in the organ of origin. This is an by the patient’s immune system. See also
active area of investigation. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).

Stem cells—Cells with the ability to divide Totipotent—Having the ability to give
for indefinite periods in culture and to rise to all the cell types of the body
give rise to specialized cells. plus all of the cell types that make up
the extraembryonic tissues such as
Stromal cells—Connective tissue cells found the placenta. See also Pluripotent and
in virtually every organ. In bone marrow, Multipotent.
stromal cells support blood formation.
Transdifferentiation—The process by
Subculturing—Transferring cultured cells, which stem cells from one tissue
with or without dilution, from one differentiate into cells of another tissue.
culture vessel to another.
Trophectoderm—The outer layer of the
Surface markers—Proteins on the outside preimplantation embryo in mice. It
surface of a cell that are unique to contains trophoblast cells.
certain cell types and that can be
visualized using antibodies or other Trophoblast—The outer cell layer of
detection methods. the blastocyst. It is responsible for
implantation and develops into the
Teratoma—A multi-layered benign tumor extraembryonic tissues, including the
that grows from pluripotent cells placenta, and controls the exchange of
injected into mice with a dysfunctional oxygen and metabolites between mother
immune system. Scientists test whether and embryo.
they have established a human
embryonic stem cell (hESC) line by Umbilical cord blood stem cells—Stem
injecting putative stem cells into such cells collected from the umbilical cord at
mice and verifying that the resulting birth that can produce all of the blood
teratomas contain cells derived from all cells in the body (hematopoietic). Cord
three embryonic germ layers. blood is currently used to treat patients

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 who have undergone chemotherapy
to destroy their bone marrow due to
cancer or other blood-related disorders.

Undifferentiated—A cell that has not yet

developed into a specialized cell type.

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

National Institutes of Health