Many people aren't aware of the fact that embryonic stem cells can contain over 5000 different proteins. Being able to understand the function and use of such protein genes has encouraged researchers to attempt to identify them to create a protein map.

Researchers from around the world have joined efforts to quantify mouse embryonic stem cells and have succeeded in identifying just over 5,000 proteins. A company called Molecular and Cellular Proteomics has recently identified roughly 1,700 of those proteins found in stem cells. Using mass spectrometry and amino acids that are made with carbon- 13, colleagues have been able to quantify a little over 5,000 distinct stem cell proteins found in mice.

Many of these proteins are essential for rapid cell growth, and most of the cells are capable of multiple cell functions. Being able to understand and delve into the functions of such cells is a complex and time-consuming task. However, questions need to be addressed regarding how these cells operate as well as how they can be converted into other types of cells and various tissue structures. Since the bottom line in learning how to differentiate different types of cells will rely on basic understanding of proteins found in stem cells, research will continue to identify specific stem cell proteins as well as their functions and potential.

Stem cells have become the potential for future development in treatment in biological medicine, and in treating and perhaps even caring diseases that have afflicted mankind for thousands of years.