Modern Ways of Obtaining Stem Cells

Abstract Stem cells are unspecialized cells that can divide, renew, and differentiate into specialized cell types, properties that make these cells an ideal source for regenerative medicine. Recent advances in deriving and culturing human embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and adult stem cells provide important models systems to gain insight into human development in the physiologic setting and disease. This is important because it becomes increasingly evident that animal models have limitations with respect to studying human development and finding new treatment options for disease.