Table 1.

Different types of stem cells, their properties, and functions

Stem cell type	Properties	Functions
MSCs	Multipotent and pluripotent. Bone marrow is the major source of MSC	MSCs are capable of differentiating into bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, marrow stroma, and other tissue types
ESCs	Derived from an early stage embryo and can differentiate into derivatives of all three primary germ layers. ESCs are multipotent and pluripotent	Can differentiate into brain and nervous system cells, insulin producing cells of the pancreas, bone cells, hematopoietic cells, endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes
ASCs	Multipotent, oligopotent, or unipotent progenitor cells. Derived from a more mature tissue, such as the umbilical cord, bone marrow, or skin	To treat leukemia and related bone/blood cancers through bone marrow transplants
HSCs	Found in the bone marrow. Multipotent	All types of blood cells
iPS	Derived from epithelial cells. Pluripotent	The iPS cell lines could be differentiated into heart muscle and neuronal cells, in addition to basic cell types (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm)
Mammary stem cells	Isolated from human and mouse tissue	Growth of mammary glands
Endothelial stem cells	Multipotent cells found in the bone marrow	Can differentiate into endothelial cells, the cells that make up the lining of blood vessels