Stem Cells: Cells with Potential

Stem cells are the source, or “stem,” for all of the specialized cells that form our organs and tissues. There are many kinds of stem cells, but two types have made frequent appearances in the news: embryonic stem are present in very early—and very tiny—embryos, and produce the first cells of the heart, brain, and other organs. They have the potential to form just about any other cell in the body.