APPLE STEMCELL ON 21st CENTURY
What is the Role of Stem Cells in our Body
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| Stem Cells |
The basal (innermost) layer of the skin's epidermis comprises two basic types of cells: the slowly diving epidermal stem cells (that represent about 2-7% of the basal cell population) and (2) their rapidly dividing offspring that supply new cells to replace those that are lost or dying.
The slow self-renewal process of epidermal stem cells, however, creates a problem. Because each epidermal stem cell only lasts for a certain number of divisions, and because each division runs the risk of lethal DNA mutation, the epidermal stem cell population can become depleted. When this happens, lost or dying skin cells begin to outnumber their replacement and the skin's health and appearance start to decline. So what can be done? Scientists turned to plants for the answer.
Plants also have stem cells. Like humans, plant stem cells depend on epigenetic control and signals from surrounding cells for their development. Unlike humans, however, each plant-derived adult stem cell possesses the ability to generate a whole new plant. Scientists in Mibelle BioChemistry have found a way to harness the power of plant stem cells by growing plant tissues in culture.
