Stem Cells: Basic Concepts, Methods, Challenges, and Prospects

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can self-renew and transform into different cell types. These cells, created during the embryonic period, are found in the body after birth, mainly in places such as bone marrow, fat tissue, and blood. Stem cells play an important role in the regeneration of damaged tissues and are used for therapeutic purposes, especially mesenchymal stem cells. The healing potential of these cells is widely used in the treatment of chronic wounds and orthopedic problems. Unlike muscle cells, blood cells, or nerve cells, which do not reproduce normally, stem cells can reproduce many times. When a stem cell divides, it can become two daughter cells: 1) both can be daughter cells; 2) one stem cell, another different cell; 3) both are different cells. There are two main types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells and developmental stem cells. Stem cell therapy plays an important role in the treatment of many diseases, such as heart diseases, nervous system diseases, and various types of cancer. The regenerative capacity of the root system works by two main mechanisms: asymmetric cell division and stochastic differentiation. In asymmetric division, a stem cell produces a cell similar to itself and a cell that will differentiate. In stochastic differentiation, a stem cell divides into two different daughter cells and creates a new stem cell.