• Question: What's a stem cell?

    Asked by Miss Science to Deborah, Euan, Maheen, Rob, Stu on 13 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Maheen Siddiqui

      Maheen Siddiqui answered on 13 Jun 2016:

      Specialist cells (cells with a specific role) in our body all have a stage where they have not yet specialised. So for example, our skin cells were once at a stage where they had not yet turned into skin cells and had the potential to be different type of cells like cells of the eye. These kind of cells, that have the potential to turn into different types of cells (before specialising), are called stem cells.

    • Photo: Deborah Prunty

      Deborah Prunty answered on 13 Jun 2016:

      A stem cell is a cell that the body hasn’t changed to do a specific job yet. They have the potential to become anything which is why they are so important.

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