Stem cells are found in all of us

Stem cells are found in all of us, from the early stages of human development  to the end of life. All stem cells may prove useful for medical research,  but  each  of  the  different  types  has  both  promise  and limitations. Embryonic stem cells, which can be derived from a very early stage in human  development, have the potential to produce  all of the body’s cell types. Adult stem  cells, which  are  found  in certain  tissues  in fully developed  humans, from babies to adults,  may be lim- ited to producing only certain types of specialized cells. Recently,  scientists  have  also  identified  stem  cells  in umbilical cord blood and the placenta  that can give rise to the various  types of blood  cells.