Glossary: stem cell treatments, degenerative diseases

Adult stem cells
Undifferentiated cells (these include the various types of multipotent and unipotent stem cells), found in a differentiated tissue of the developed, adult organism. These cells can renew themselves and differentiate (with certain limitations) to give rise to all the specialized cell types of the tissue they derive from. Adult stem cells can be found in bone marrow or in the umbilical cord blood of newborn babies.
Bone marrow stem cell
Multipotent stem cells from bone marrow; types include haematopoietic stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells.
CD34-positive cells
CD34 refers to a special molecular structure that can be found on the surface of haematopoietic stem cells. With the help of this marker, the haematopoietic precursors can be differentiated from other precursors. CD is the abbreviation of "cluster of differentiation".
Cell-based therapies
See: Regenerative medicine
Clone
To generate identical copies of a molecule, cell, or organism.
Cord blood stem cells
The vessels of the umbilical cord during and shortly after delivery contain stem cells. These stem cells are in the blood at the time of delivery, because they move from the liver, where blood formation takes place during foetal life, to the bone marrow, where blood is made after birth. Umbilical cord stem cells are similar to the stem cells that reside in bone marrow, and can be used for the treatment of leukaemia and other diseases of the blood.
Differentiation
The process whereby an undifferentiated embryonic cell acquires the features of a specialized cell such as the liver, brain, heart or muscle cell.
Embryo
The product of a fertilized egg. This term extends from the time of fertilization (zygote) until it becomes a foetus, which in the human is approximately eight weeks later.
Good Manufacturing Practice
"Good manufacturing practice" (GMP) is a part of quality management. It guarantees that products are constantly produced and checked according to the highest quality standards underlying the licence documents or the product specification. Good manufacturing practice is concerned with production as well as quality control. A company gets a manufacturing licence if all stages of production and control are carried out in accordance with the basic rules of good manufacturing practice.
Haematopoietic stem cell
Precursor of mature blood cells
In vitro
Latin for "in glass". Names processes that take place or are done in a laboratory dish, test tubes or other artificial environments.
Mesenchymal stem cells
Also known as bone marrow stromal cells. Mixed group of cells from the non-blood-forming section of bone marrow. Mesenchymal stem cells are capable of growth and differentiation into a number of different cell types.
Multipotent
The ability of an individual stem cell to develop into only a limited range of cell types. In general, adult stem cells are multipotent. Also see pluripotent and totipotent.
Plasticity
The ability of stem cells from a particular type of tissue to give rise to cell types of another type of tissue.
Pluripotent
The ability of an individual stem cell to develop into numerous other types of cells. In general, embryonic stem cells are pluripotent.
Regenerative medicine
A treatment in which stem cells are induced to differentiate into the specific cell type required to repair damaged or destroyed cell populations.
Stem cells
Cells with the ability to divide for indefinite periods in culture and to give rise to specialized cells.
Tissue Engineering
Tissue Engineering refers to the production of tissue constructions from endogenous somatic cells. Stem cells or other differentiated somatic cells are used for the construction. In this way, tissue (such as skin or cartilage) can be grown outside the body and then transplanted to the patient.
Totipotent
Type of cell that can form an entire organism. The zygote (a fertilized egg) and the first four cells produced by its cleavage are totipotent.
Unipotent
Usually applied to cells in adult organisms that are capable of differentiating along only one lineage.
News
  • Stem cells and tumor risk more…
  • March 10, 2010
    Encouraging Stroke Treatment Results Now Available more…
  • March 10, 2010
    NBC News Video Feature "Small Miracles: How life has changed for Dom and H" (cerebral palsy) more…
  • March 9, 2010
    60% of Spinal Cord Injury Patients Improved - The Latest Statistics for 140 Spinal Cord Injury Patients more…
  • March 8, 2010
    XCell-Center Presents Impressive Results from Cerebral Palsy Stem Cell Treatment more…
  • February 16, 2010
    The Lewiston Morning Tribune: Stem Cell Therapy Works for Cousins more…
  • February 9, 2010
    Saving Limbs: Autologous Mesenchymal cells for the treatment of patients with critical limb ischemia – an Interim Analysis more…
  • February 4, 2010
    Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation by Lumbar Puncture: A safety Follow-up in 870 Patients more…
  • February 2, 2010
    Parkinson's Treatment Results Available Now! more…
  • December 2, 2009
    The Prescott Daily Courier features Parkinson's Patient, Aubra Phillips more…
  • October 7, 2009
    XCell-Center Commences Neuro-endoscopic Autologous Stem Cell Treatments in Germany more…
  • October 1, 2009
    Autism Patients Show Progress Following Stem Cell Therapy more…
  • TV Link: About XCell-Center more…
  • News archive 2009 more…
  • News archive 2008 more…
  • News archive 2007 more…