Stem cells are populations of relatively undifferentiated cells found in most adult organisms.

They are capable of

replacing themselves by generating more stem cells, and can differentiate into one or more distinct cell types. They

are a normal part of the bodys ability to develop and to repair itself. For example, stem cells in bone marrow give

rise to the different types of blood cells.

Importance of stem cells in medicine is that they have the potential to cure diseases and help in healing.
For example, bone marrow transplants are used to treat patients with certain forms of cancer, such as leukemia.

When bone marrow from a healthy person is injected into the body of a patient who has had her/his immune

system wiped out via radiation, the stem cells within the transplanted marrow have the ability to proliferate and

differentiate into various types of blood cells within the body of the patient.
Cells taken from early embryos (embryonic stem cells) can be induced to develop into almost any kind of cell,

but there are ethical objections to using human embryos for this purpose.