Stem—Like Cells, Human Brain

THERE ARE DIFFERENT kinds of stem cells (e.g., embryonic, adult, and cancer stem cells), and studying the nature and behaviors of different stem cell populations simultaneously provides insights into the roles for these very potent cells during normal and abnormal tissue generation. Stem cells are known for their innate ability to give rise to more developed daughter cells while at the same time maintaining a population of themselves. The asymmetric cellular divisions that give rise to different kinds of progenitor cells from stem cells, along with the unique environments in which they live, their so—called niches, are being studied in a variety of models with the goal of using these special cells and factors that control their growth and differentiation for tissue and organ repair.

Embryonic ...