Differences Between Adult Stem Cells And Embryonic Stem Cells: Explained

• Do you know that stem cells are like moist pieces of clay? Like clay can be moulded into your desired shape, stem cells can differentiate into multiple cell lines. And this near-magical ability of these cells is often used to treat numerous life-threatening conditions. 

But where do these stem cells originate from? And how are they different from each other? Broadly speaking, stem cells are categorised into 4 types based on their origin: embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) & cord blood stem cells.¹

In this blog, we’ll understand the key differences between adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. So let’s dive right in & get to know more about both these types.

What Are Adult Stem Cells?

Adult stem cells, also known as somatic cells, have the capacity to self-renew & therefore maintain the cell pool. They also aid in the replenishment of dead & damaged tissues.²

Adult stem cells are found in adult organs and tissues such as bone marrow & fat.¹ These stem cells were first extracted & used in 1948. A couple of decades later, a much more elaborate procedure was performed for treating blood disease using adult bone marrow cells.³

Adult stem cells are further categorised into several subtypes which are:

• Hematopoietic Stem Cells (Blood Stem Cells)
• Mesenchymal Stem Cells
• Neural Stem Cells
• Epithelial Stem Cells
• Skin Stem Cells

Now, let’s understand what embryonic stem cells are.

What Are Embryonic Stem Cells?

As the name suggests, these are stem cells that originate from embryos which are 3-5 days old.1 At this stage, the embryo is called a blastocyst. The blastocyst is used for stem cell retrieval & research after the informed consent of the donor. Such embryos are usually fertilised in vitro & not inside the human body.³

These stem cells derived from the embryo's inner cell mass are pluripotent. This means that they can change into several different cell types (almost any) & therefore regenerate & repair unhealthy cells in our body.¹

That said, let’s summarise the differences between these two types of stem cells.

Difference Between Adult Stem Cells And Embryonic Stem Cells

Next, let’s understand the ethical concerns surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells.

Why Is The Use Of Embryonic Stem Cells Controversial?

As the retrieval of embryonic stem cells involves the destruction of human embryos, it is often surrounded by a lot of ethical concerns. Moreover, it entails some medical risks to the oocyte donor. Also, creating embryos solely for research raises ethical questions.⁶

So can we instead use adult stem cells? Let’s find out.

Why Can't Researchers Use Adult Stem Cells Instead?

Adult stem cells have a limited versatility & durability as compared to the embryonic stem cells. Even though adult stem cells bypass the ethical issues involved with the latter, they lack pluripotency. And this is why they can’t be manipulated to produce any desired cell type.¹

There are also chances that adult stem cells might contain irregularities & errors which limit their usability.¹

Nevertheless, the use of even embryonic stem cells involves more practical problems. Continue reading to find out.

What Are The Potential Problems With Using Embryonic Stem Cells In Humans?

The use of embryonic stem cells not only involves ethical issues but also some practical concerns:⁷

• Embryonic stem cells might not function as expected.
• Due to the presence of surface antigens which are recognised by the immune system, they carry the risk of triggering an immune response in the host.
• They are genetically unstable and carry the risk of forming tumours.
• They exhibit uncontrolled growth.

Summing Up

We hope that you’ve understood the differences between adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells in detail. While both kinds exhibit promising potential in modern medicine, they have their own limitations. The use of embryonic stem cells is often grappled with ethical concerns & the ambit of adult stem cells is quite limited. Amidst such circumstances, cord blood-derived stem cells emerge as a true godsend.

Not only is cord blood stem cell storage & use 100% legal & ethical but also it has several advantages over adult stem cells. The collection process of cord blood stem cells is totally safe & painless. Plus these stem cells generally do not trigger an immune response (unlike adult stem cells).⁸

With the capacity to treat over 80 medical conditions, it’s very important that expecting parents stay informed about the use of cord blood stem cells & save this precious resource during their baby’s birth. 

If you wish to learn more about cord blood banking & how LifeCell can help you with the same, visit www.lifecell.in or call 18002665533.