In a historic milestone for regenerative medicine, Japan’s health ministry has officially granted conditional and time-limited approval for the world’s first induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS) therapy to treat Parkinson’s disease.
Must-Know Concepts for Exams:
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the ability to:
1. Stem cells:
- Self-renew – divide and produce more stem cells.
- Differentiate – develop into specialized cells such as muscle cells, nerve cells, or blood cells.
They act as the body’s raw material for growth, repair, and regeneration of tissues.
2. Stem cell therapy:
Stem-cell therapy, also known as regenerative medicine, is a medical treatment that uses stem cells—the body’s raw materials—to repair or replace diseased, dysfunctional, or injured tissue.
