• Question: what is a Embryonic Stem Cell

    Asked by n1ral to Daniel, Jon, Louise, Sharon, Zoe on 17 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Jon Copley

      Jon Copley answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      I think Sharon is the best person to answer this one 🙂

    • Photo: Louise Dash

      Louise Dash answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      Umm, it’s a special type of cell that comes from embryos that’s important because it can be used to grow other types of cells, I think. That’s about all I know about them – Sharon’s your expert here!

    • Photo: Sharon Sneddon

      Sharon Sneddon answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      An embryonic stem cell is a special cell type in the body, that are only found in very early embryos (about 5 days old) that have not decided what it is going to be, so scientists like me are trying to make them into cells that could replace sick or diseased cells in people with illnessed such as diabetes or some cancers. They are hard to make, and it will take a few years until we get things working exactly right, but they are really exciting!

    • Photo: Zoe Duck

      Zoe Duck answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      When an embryo is first formed, all the cells within it must produce a baby. The cells have the ability to form any other cell in the body. these cells are embryonic stem cells. Later on, cells lose this ability and either do not divide at all or can only become certain types of cell. We do maintain some stem cells throughout our adult lives in the bone marrow.

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