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Classification of Stem Cells

The simplest way to categorize stem cells is to divide stem cells into three types based on their origin.

  • Embryonic stem cells (ESCs)

ESCs, as the name suggests, are mostly derived from embryonic blastocysts in the natural preimplantation stage of the uterus. The blastocyst is 3-5 days old and is a cell cluster under a hollow microscope. The differentiation of ESCs occurs when they come together to form embryoid bodies. The differentiation of embryonic stem cells is spontaneous and uncontrolled. Therefore, they are defined by unlimited self-renewal and pluripotency.

  • Adult stem cells (ASCs)

ASCs can be derived from a series of adult tissues, such as skin, bone marrow, blood vessels, skin, muscle and bone. They have the ability of multipotential differentiation, indicating their tissue origin. For example, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exist in bone marrow, while neural stem cells (NSCs) exist in the subventricular zone and hippocampus. As ASCs can differentiate into the most special cells in the tissues or organs they originate from, their differentiation is highly limited. The main role of ASCs in organisms is to maintain and repair the tissues in which they are located. They appear in the body after embryonic development.

  • Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)

iPSCs are originally ASCs, which are expressed as ESCs after gene recombination. They are produced by genetic reprogramming of differentiated somatic cells (i.e., fibroblasts) into de-differentiated stem cells by binding to ectopic expression of transcription factors. For example, Gifford CA et al. reprogrammed patient-derived fibroblasts into pluripotent stem cells through the expression of OCT3/4, SOX2 and KLF4.

Learn more: multipotent stem cells

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