干细胞研究进展

Progress in stem cell research

干细胞不仅存在于胚胎发育时期 ,而且在成体内也广泛分布于各种不同组织器官的特定部位。在胚胎时期干细胞的功能主要是参与机体的发育 ,成年后则对维持组织器官的新陈代谢有重要作用。随着胚胎干细胞 ,神经干细胞等方面研究的不断深入 ,有关干细胞的研究已日益成为一个全球性的热点。本文仅就其进展做一简要综述。

Stem cells exist not only in the developing mammalian embryo but also in certain areas of various adult tissues. In embryo, they can take part in the development of tissues and the whole organism while in adult, they are thought to be involved in cell metabolism. With the development of research in embryo and nervous system, the field of stem cells has become a hot point in scientific world. A brief summary is made on stem cell biology and its potential medical importance.