As of 1 July 2011 the ASCC is closed. This page is archived.
Stem cells are often divided into two groups:
tissue specific stem cells (often referred to as adult stem cells) and
pluripotent stem cells (including embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells).
Tissue specific stem cells are derived from, or resident in, fetal or adult tissue, including bone marrow and umbilical cord blood, and can usually only give rise to the cells of that tissue, thus they are considered multipotent.
Embryonic stem cells, derived from a small group of cells within the very early embryo, and their newer counterpart, induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are considered pluripotent as they can become every type of cell in the body.
For more detail on all the different types of stem cells used in medical research please see Fact Sheet 2 - Types of Stem Cells.