VERSATILITY

Versatility of Adult Stem Cells shown

IN ADULTS - unlike in embryos - stem cells have long been thought to be programmed to make just one kind of cell, such as liver or brain, depending on where they are located.

Stem cells found in the bone marrow, for example, were believed to make only new blood cells. But recent studies have upset this dogma, finding that they apparently develop into a variety of cells throughout the body.

Work sponsored by Regenetech suggests that stem cells in the blood, which are virtually identical to the bone marrow variety, also can morph into many different kinds of tissue.