Alternative Sources
Adult stem cell lines isolated from mature tissues are commonly used in stem cell research, as are cells isolated from umbilical cord blood. However, these cells have a genetic imprint of the host they were taken from, thus limiting their therapeutic use in genetic disorders. Also, adult stem cells are not totipotent or pluripotent like embryonic stem cells, but rather more specialized cells that are multipotent.
Another source of stem cells is the iPS (induced pluripotent stem) cell. This process involves reversing the differentiating cell signals that cause a stem cell to specialize. In this way, a somatic cell can be worked backwards (induced) into a stem cell. One added advantage of this type of stem cell is that the pluripotent cell has the same DNA as the donor and can be used therapeutically towards that end without painful bone marrow and spinal cord extraction techiques. It also contributes to pain relief.
Read more about this topic: Stem Cell Line
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