Stem Cell Culture and Its Applications

Abstract

Cells are the structural and functional unit of life. The dynamics of life encompass the continuous interaction of the cells with the environment and the energy balance that it maintains for sustenance. Eukaryotic organisms’ cells have evolved with specific functional commitments and are at the terminal stage of differentiation. With a better understanding of cellular development and differentiation mechanism, it is now appreciated that cells in general have a certain degree of plasticity and can alter with changes in the internal and external environment. Furthermore, a population of uncommitted cells is also found in eukaryotes. These cells can differentiate into various lineages as and when necessary and are denoted as stem cells. The stem cells are not only found in a rapidly dividing fertilized embryo (embryonic stem cells) but are also found in specific niches of adult organs (adult stem cells) and provide a repository of uncommitted cells with a high degree of plasticity. The primary function of these pluripotent stem cells is to maintain homeostasis with the ability to replenish lost or defunct cells. Stem cell research has made immense progress in the past decade and holds great promise in future regenerative medicine. In today’s scenario, one of the most widespread uses of stem cells is bone marrow transplantation, and it has revolutionized the treatment of some cancers. Although stem cell therapy is yet to be introduced in many other clinical practices, it is progressively being evaluated as a treatment option for many present-day incurable diseases.