Where can stem cells be extracted from?
Stem cells are generally obtained from sources such as peripheral blood, bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, adipose (fat) tissue, and dental pulp. A detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Peripheral Blood
Stem cells can typically be isolated from blood cells by collecting peripheral blood and mononuclear cells. Through scientific methods, hematopoietic stem cells can be extracted from the body. By injecting stimulating factors, the production of stem cells can be increased to meet the requirements for certain medical procedures.
2. Bone Marrow
Before extraction, patients may take medications to stimulate bone marrow growth. The bone marrow is then drawn out, and a certain amount of hematopoietic stem cells are isolated. This is a relatively common method.
3. Umbilical Cord Blood
This usually contains embryonic stem cells derived from embryos, which have strong abilities for proliferation and differentiation. The cell content is relatively high, and hematopoietic stem cells can be extracted using a cell separator.
4. Adipose (Fat) Tissue
As the name suggests, these stem cells originate from human adipose tissue. After liposuction, digestion and culturing of the adipose tissue can generate a large number of stem cells. These have been identified as mesenchymal stem cells.
5. Dental Pulp
The primary source is naturally shed deciduous teeth or wisdom teeth in children. In adults, stem cells are mainly collected from wisdom teeth. However, extracting wisdom teeth involves some pain and risk. Compared with harvesting stem cells from fat or bone marrow, this method is relatively convenient.
Note: Stem cell collection must be performed in a sterile operating environment. The entire procedure may take 2–3 hours. After the procedure, it is important to maintain proper nutrition.