What is the Difference Between Adult and Embryonic Stem Cells?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main differences between adult and embryonic stem cells are their origin, potency, and potential applications. Here are the key differences:
Origin:
- Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found in various tissues throughout the body, including skin, heart, brain, liver, and bone marrow.
- Embryonic stem cells are found in embryos that are 3 to 5 days old.
Potency:
- Adult stem cells are multipotent, meaning they can develop into several different cell types, but they are usually restricted to the tissue or organ they reside in.
- Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, meaning they can develop into any cell type in the body.
Potential Applications:
- Adult stem cells are used for therapies that aim to heal diseases and regenerate missing cells within damaged tissues. They are often isolated from the tissue and grown outside of the body in cultures.
- Embryonic stem cells have the potential to develop into any type of cell, making them valuable for research and potential treatments for various diseases. However, their use raises ethical concerns due to the destruction of human life during their isolation.
Research involving adult stem cells does not raise the same ethical issues as embryonic stem cells, making them a more accessible and widely studied option for potential therapies. Combined with efforts involving induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, research in this area aims to develop treatments for various diseases and conditions.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Adult and Embryonic Stem Cells? Comparative Table: Adult vs Embryonic Stem Cells
Comparative Table: Adult vs Embryonic Stem Cells
Here is a table summarizing the differences between adult and embryonic stem cells:
Feature | Adult Stem Cells | Embryonic Stem Cells |
---|---|---|
Origin | Found in fully-grown adult organs and tissues, such as bone marrow and brain | Found during the early blastocyst stage of embryonic development |
Potency | Multipotent, meaning they can develop only into closely related cell types | Pluripotent, meaning they can develop into any cell type in the body |
Use | Can repair and regenerate damaged or diseased tissues in the area where they are located | Play a vital role in developing the fetus and can differentiate into any type of cell |
Totipotent, Pluripotent, Multipotent, Oligopotent, Unipotent | Adult stem cells are multipotent | Embryonic stem cells can be totipotent, pluripotent, oligopotent, multipotent, or unipotent |
Regulated Gene Expression | Variations in differentiated cells derived from adult stem cells are regulated by gene expression | Embryonic stem cells have the potential to become specialized cells in the body, such as brain or blood cells |
Read more:
- Stem Cells vs Embryonic Stem Cells
- Fetal vs Embryonic Stem Cells
- Embryonic vs Somatic Stem Cells
- Umbilical Cord Stem Cells vs Embryonic Stem Cells
- Stem Cells vs Normal Cells
- Stem Cells vs Differentiated Cells
- IPS Cells vs Embryonic Stem Cells
- Progenitor Cells vs Stem Cells
- Mesenchymal vs Hematopoietic Stem Cells
- Specialized Cells vs Stem Cells
- Embryo vs Zygote
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells vs Progenitor Cells
- Embryo vs Fetus
- Blastocyst vs Embryo
- Gametogenesis vs Embryogenesis
- Stem Cell Differentiation vs Self Renewal
- Neural Stem Cells vs Neural Progenitor Cells
- Genetics vs Embryology
- Cord Blood vs Bone Marrow Stem Cells