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Who discovered stem cells

In 1908, Alexander Maksimov, a renowned Russian histologist, coined the term ‘stem cells’ to denote the existence of haematopoietic stem cells. Thereafter, no significant progress was made in the area of stem cell research. Approximately 60 years later, Canadian scientists James E. Till and Ernest A. McCulloch discovered the self-renewing cells in the bone marrow of mouse, and this discovery played the role of a catalyst and accelerated research and experimentation.
In 1978, haematopoietic stem cells were retrieved from the human cord cells and in the year 1981, scientists Martin Evans, Mathew Kaufman and Gail R. Martin derived embryonic stem cells from the inner mass of blastocyst of mouse. The human embryonic stem cells were derived in 1998 by James Thomson et al. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Basically, stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the potential to divide interminably, and differentiate into a diverse range of cell types. On the basis of their origin, stem cells can be divided into two broad categories — adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. While the former is derived from adult tissues like bone marrow, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood, placenta and adipose tissue, the later is retrieved from the inner mass of the blastocyst.
The adult stem cells are primarily used for the repair and regeneration of organs and tissues. The stem cells derived from the umbilical cord blood can be preserved in cryogenic banks and used for the repair and regeneration processes without worrying about DNA compatibility. These stem cells can also be donated very much like blood. The embryonic stem cells, on the other hand, have the capacity to differentiate into any one of the 200 different types of cells found in the human body. Moreover, they can be used for the treatment of several serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, and burns and injuries.

Thus, the discovery of stem cells is a boon for the mankind. However, still lots remains to be done before these cells can actually be used for human welfare. The research, experimentation and usage techniques have to be refined, and certain controversial issues have to be resolved. The controversy is primarily associated with embryonic stem cells.

Generally, people believe that these cells are obtained after destroying the blastocyst, which has the potential to differentiate and develop into a complete human being. These opponents for stem cell research forget the during abortion and in-vitro fertilization also the blastocysts are destroyed. Furthermore, in the blastocyst the cells haven’t differentiated and so it cannot be equated to a human being. Unless these issues are resolved no progress can be made, and the discovery of stem cells would not be able to do any good to the mankind.

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