What is the difference between embryonic and adult stem cells?

Embryonic stem cells come from early embryos, while adult stem cells are found in mature tissues.

Embryonic stem cells are derived from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, which is a very early stage of development in a fertilized egg. These cells have the ability to differentiate into any cell type in the body, making them pluripotent. This property makes them valuable for research and potential therapeutic applications, but also raises ethical concerns due to the destruction of the embryo required to obtain them.

Adult stem cells, on the other hand, are found in various tissues throughout the body and are involved in tissue maintenance and repair. They are multipotent, meaning they can differentiate into a limited number of cell types within their tissue of origin. For example, hematopoietic stem cells in bone marrow can differentiate into various blood cell types, while neural stem cells in the brain can differentiate into different types of neurons and glial cells.

While adult stem cells have more limited differentiation potential than embryonic stem cells, they have the advantage of being readily available and not raising ethical concerns. They are also less likely to cause immune rejection when used in therapies, as they can be obtained from the patient's own tissues.

In summary, embryonic stem cells are pluripotent cells derived from early embryos, while adult stem cells are multipotent cells found in mature tissues. Both have potential therapeutic applications, but also have their own advantages and limitations.