What is the Difference Between Umbilical Cord Stem Cells and Embryonic Stem Cells?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Umbilical cord stem cells and embryonic stem cells are different types of stem cells with distinct characteristics and sources:
Umbilical Cord Stem Cells:
- Derived from the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born, not from an embryo.
- Contain blood-forming stem cells that can renew themselves and differentiate into other types of cells.
- Can be used in transplants for patients with cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, as well as over 80 other life-threatening diseases.
- Less mature than adult stem cells.
- Considered a type of somatic stem cell.
Embryonic Stem Cells:
- Derived from the embryo, specifically from a blastocyst that is around 4-6 days old after fertilization.
- Can differentiate into cells from all three germ layers (ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm), making them pluripotent.
- Have the potential to become any cell type in the body.
- Controversial due to the destruction of the embryo, which raises ethical concerns.
While both types of stem cells have potential therapeutic applications, they differ in their sources, potency, and ethical implications. Umbilical cord stem cells are considered a valuable resource for treating various diseases and are easier to collect than embryonic stem cells, as they do not require the destruction of an embryo.
Comparative Table: Umbilical Cord Stem Cells vs Embryonic Stem Cells
Umbilical cord stem cells and embryonic stem cells are both sources of stem cells with potential therapeutic applications. Here is a comparison of the two:
Feature | Umbilical Cord Stem Cells | Embryonic Stem Cells |
---|---|---|
Source | Umbilical cord blood, amnion/placenta, umbilical cord vein, or umbilical cord matrix cells | Derived from early-stage embryos |
Potential | Multipotent, capable of forming many different cell types | Pluripotent, capable of forming all cell types in the body |
Ethical and Scientific Issues | Fewer ethical and scientific issues, as they are derived from postnatally collected cells | Greater ethical and scientific issues, as they are derived from destroyed embryos |
Collection Method | Non-invasive, collected after birth | Invasive, requiring destruction of an embryo |
Clinical Applications | Widely used in blood and immune system-related disorders, such as leukemia and lymphoma | Limited clinical applications due to ethical concerns and potential for tumor formation |
Umbilical cord stem cells are multipotent, meaning they can form many different cell types, and are considered a readily available and inexpensive source of cells with fewer ethical and scientific concerns compared to embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells, on the other hand, are pluripotent and can form all cell types in the body, but their use is controversial due to the need to destroy embryos for their collection.
- Stem Cells vs Embryonic Stem Cells
- Fetal vs Embryonic Stem Cells
- Cord Blood vs Bone Marrow Stem Cells
- Adult vs Embryonic Stem Cells
- Embryonic vs Somatic Stem Cells
- IPS Cells vs Embryonic Stem Cells
- Mesenchymal vs Hematopoietic Stem Cells
- Stem Cells vs Differentiated Cells
- Stem Cells vs Normal Cells
- Cord Blood vs Cord Tissue
- Placenta vs Umbilical Cord
- Progenitor Cells vs Stem Cells
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells vs Progenitor Cells
- Blastocyst vs Embryo
- Embryo vs Fetus
- Pluripotent vs Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
- Embryo vs Zygote
- Pluripotent vs Multipotent Stem Cells
- Specialized Cells vs Stem Cells