Embryonic Stem Cells
Embryonic Stem Cells are developed when embryos formed during the blastocyst phase of embryological development. They can grow in all derivatives of the 3 primary germ layers i.e. ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm. These include each of the more than 220 cell varieties within the adult body. Pluripotency distinguishes embryonic stem cells from adult stem cells found in adults; whereas embryonic stem cells can generate all cell types within the body, adult stem cells are multipotent and can produce only a restricted number of cell types. Embryonic stem cells are capable of propagating themselves indefinitely. This allows embryonic stem cells to be employed as useful tools for both research and regenerative medicine, because they can produce limitless numbers of themselves for continued research or clinical use.