Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Stem Cell Culture

Stem Cell Culture

Stem cell research aims to find ways to use stem cells to regenerate and repair cellular damage. Over time, most adult cells undergo the wear and tear of aging and lose their ability to divide and repair themselves. Stem cells do not display a particular morphology or function. Adult stem cells, which exist as a small subset of cells in most tissues, keep dividing and can differentiate into a number of specialized cells generally formed by that tissue. These cells enable the body to renew and...

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are undifferentiated pluripotent cells, meaning they can produce any cell type in the body. This gives them tremendous potential in science and medicine since they can generate specific cell types for use in research or to replace body cells lost due to damage or disease.

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells were first discovered in mice in 1981 by Martin Evans. In 1998, James Thomson identified a method to isolate embryonic stem cells from humans. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are obtained from 3-5 day old embryos that remain unused after an in vitro fertilization procedure.
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...

Zygotic Development And Stem Cell Formation

Zygotic Development And Stem Cell Formation

The development of all multicellular organisms starts with the fusion of haploid cells called sperm and egg to form a diploid zygote. A zygote is a totipotent cell that can develop into a complete organism. The zygote undergoes cell division or cleavage to form an 8-cell mass. Until this stage, the cells are spherical, loosely attached, and remain totipotent. Totipotent cells are capable of developing both the embryonic and the extraembryonic tissues. However, as they continue to divide, they...

Source And Potency Of Stem Cells

Source And Potency Of Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells with extensive self-renewal properties that help them maintain their population during the fetal and adult stages of life. They can specialize in all cell types of the human body. However, their differential potential may vary and can be classified into five types. Stem cells can be (1) Totipotent, (2) Pluripotent, (3) Multipotent, (4) Oligopotent, and (5) Unipotent. Each stem cell has a specific origin; the fertilized egg or zygote is a totipotent cell and...

Maintenance of the ES Cell State

Maintenance of the ES Cell State

The cells of the blastocyst inner cell mass only remain pluripotent for a short time. This state of pluripotency and self-renewal can be maintained in embryonic stem (ES) cell culture by adding specific chemicals or growth factors to ensure the cells can continue dividing and later differentiate into different cell types. In some cases, the cells are grown on a feeder layer of differentiated cells, which provides the growth factors and extracellular matrix components necessary for stem cell...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Localization of the greater occipital nerve through palpation of bony landmarks: A cadaveric study.

Clinical neurology and neurosurgery·2024

Same author

Acute Esophageal Necrosis Following Acetaminophen Overdose: An Unreported Cause of Black Esophagus.

HCA healthcare journal of medicine·2023

Same author

Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor-Induced Hyperammonemic Encephalopathy in the Absence of Hepatic Involvement.

ACG case reports journal·2020

Same author

Potential risk of clonally expanded amnion mesenchymal stem cell transplants in contused spinal cords.

Restorative neurology and neuroscience·2018

Same author

Efficient method for generating nuclear fractions from marrow stromal cells.

Cytotechnology·2008

Same author

Disparate host response and donor survival after the transplantation of mesenchymal or neuroectodermal cells to the intact rodent brain.

Transplantation·2007

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Generation of Neural Stem Cells from Discarded Human Fetal Cortical Tissue

Generation of Neural Stem Cells from Discarded Human Fetal Cortical Tissue

Published on: May 25, 2011

Fetal stem cells from extra-embryonic tissues: do not discard.

Akiva J Marcus¹, Dale Woodbury

¹The Ira B. Black Center for Stem Cell Research and the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854-5635, USA. marcusak@umdnj.edu

Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine

|January 16, 2008

Summary

Fetal stem cells from extra-embryonic tissues offer a promising, ethically sound alternative for regenerative medicine. Their early developmental origin may enhance potency for treating diseases like Parkinson

More Related Videos

Isolation and Characterization of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Human Umbilical Cord and Fetal Placenta

Isolation and Characterization of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Human Umbilical Cord and Fetal Placenta

Published on: April 3, 2017

Isolation and Analysis of Hematopoietic Stem Cells from the Placenta

Isolation and Analysis of Hematopoietic Stem Cells from the Placenta

Published on: June 24, 2008

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Generation of Neural Stem Cells from Discarded Human Fetal Cortical Tissue

Generation of Neural Stem Cells from Discarded Human Fetal Cortical Tissue

Published on: May 25, 2011

Isolation and Characterization of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Human Umbilical Cord and Fetal Placenta

Isolation and Characterization of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Human Umbilical Cord and Fetal Placenta

Published on: April 3, 2017

Isolation and Analysis of Hematopoietic Stem Cells from the Placenta

Isolation and Analysis of Hematopoietic Stem Cells from the Placenta

Published on: June 24, 2008

Area of Science:

Regenerative Medicine
Developmental Biology
Stem Cell Biology

Background:

Stem cells, including embryonic and adult types, show potential for treating intractable diseases by differentiating into specific cell types.
Fetal stem cells from extra-embryonic tissues are emerging as a viable option for clinical applications.
Existing stem cell research faces ethical challenges, particularly with embryonic stem cell isolation.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent advancements in understanding the plasticity and clinical potential of fetal stem cells.
To highlight the advantages of using fetal stem cells derived from extra-embryonic tissues for therapeutic purposes.

Main Methods:

Review of current scientific literature on fetal stem cell research.
Analysis of studies investigating stem cell differentiation and therapeutic applications.
Examination of ethical considerations and practical aspects of stem cell isolation.

Main Results:

Fetal stem cells are obtainable from tissues discarded at birth, bypassing ethical concerns associated with embryonic stem cells.
Extra-embryonic tissues provide a large source, potentially yielding a greater number of stem cells.
Early developmental origin of these cells may confer enhanced potency for therapeutic applications.

Conclusions:

Fetal stem cells from extra-embryonic tissues present a compelling source for regenerative medicine due to ethical advantages and potential for high yield and potency.
Further research into the plasticity and clinical applications of these stem cells is warranted for treating diseases such as Parkinson's, liver disease, and diabetes.