Stem Cell

Stem cells are a class of undifferentiated cells that can differentiate into specialized cell types. They are distinguished from other cell types by two important characteristics: (i)self-renewal and (ii) potency (potential to differentiate into different cell types). When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell. There are two types of stem cells in human:

1. Embryonic stem cells (ES cells):
   They are isolated from the inner cell mass of blastocysts. ES cells are pluripotent and can develop into each of the more than 200 cell types of the adult body when given sufficient and necessary stimulation for a specific cell type.
2. Adult stem cells:
   They are found in adult tissues such as the brain, bone marrow, blood, blood vessels, skeletal muscles, skin, and the liver. They remain in a quiescent or non-dividing state for years until activated by disease or tissue injury. Compared to ES cells, adult stem cells are thought to be limited to differentiating into different cell types of their tissue of origin.

For the study of human stem cells, Abnova offers a collection of stem cell culture products including MC-Hydrogel for cultivation and formation of embryoid bodies, Stemaxtrix® for feeder-independent cell proliferation, Mouse Conditioned Media for maintenance of cell growth, and Stem Cell Keeper™ as a vitrification solution for cell preservation. These products together with Abnova’s extensive collection of stem cell-related antibodies are ready to accelerate your research!