1. What Is Stem Cell Therapy?
Stem cells are the building blocks of our body. They can renew themselves through cell division. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become a specialised cell, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.
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(Photo: iStock) Under certain experimental conditions, they can be induced to become tissue- or organ-specific cells with special functions. This is the basis of stem cell therapy.
Stem cells extracted usually from human bone marrow, circulating blood or umbilical cord blood are used to treat serious medical conditions. For example, if healthy blood cells have been destroyed in a patient due to any medical condition, they can have bone marrow stem cell transplants from healthy donors. This will allow their bodies to start making healthy blood cells again.
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