What are stem cells?

Stem cells are the 'master cells' of the body from which all other cells, tissues, organs and bone are created.

Stem cells have the potential to treat an enormous range of diseases and conditions. Their ability to treat so many diseases is because of their unique properties:

• Self-renewal; stem cells can renew themselves almost indefinitely. 
• Differentiation; stem cells have the special ability to differentiate into cells with specialised characteristics and functions.
• Unspecialised; stem cells themselves are largely unspecialised cells which then give rise to specialised cells.

When a stem cell divides, the new cell can become a different cell with a more specific function, such as a heart, blood or muscle cell, or it can remain a stem cell.