Human embryonic stem cells: An introduction

Abstract

Stem cell biology is currently one of the most promising areas of scientific development, possibly leading to new therapies for many diverse medical problems. A stem cell is a cell that has the potential to differentiate into other cell types and stem cell biology investigates the processes by which this differentiation is controlled. Some cells from adults have this potential, but it is only cells from very early embryos that have been shown to differentiate into all cell types. For this reason, interest has been focussed on embryonic stem cells. This paper describes the process by which embryonic stem cells are derived and the associated practical problems. The potential benefits of embryonic stem cell biology are discussed. The need to develop cell nuclear replacement is considered since this may be necessary if stem cells are to be used to maximum benefit.