Stem Cells are very unique cells in the body, with the ability to divide and to give rise to other specialized cells throughout your body.  Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body.  Serving as a sort of repair system for the body, they can theoretically divide without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive.  When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential to either 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.

Research on stem cells is advancing knowledge about how a baby develops from a single cell, and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adults.  This promising area of science is also leading scientists to investigate the possibility of cell-based therapies to treat disease, which is often referred to as regenerative or reparative medicine.  Stem cells are one of the most fascinating areas of biology today.