Author: Zac Ch’ng, Nutritionist

The Evolving Stem Cell Nutrition

Every cell in our body has a specific job to do and is programmed to do that job perfectly, other cells cannot replace them to do their work and vice versa.  For example, a nerve cell will only ever be a nerve cell and a red blood cell will only ever be a red blood cell.  The functionality of each cell is determined during embryo stage and cannot be changed.

However, cutting-edge research in modern science discovered that stem cells have the ability to become any type of cells because they are not specialized, the scientist was hugely excited by their discovery because these cells can be used to repair damaged organs, bones, or cartilage.  Besides, they can also be used to help treat diseases such as to treat people with Parkinson’s disease by making new brain cells.  The discovery of stem cells is huge for modern medicine and could have a massive impact.

What are stem cells and how many types are there?

Stem cells have the ability to self-renew and differentiate into specialized cell types such as muscle cells, bone cells, white blood cells, etc.

There are 2 types of stem cells in humans which are embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are unspecialized cells that can be developed into any type of cell whereas adult stem cells, unlike embryonic stem cells, their ability to differentiate is limited.  They present in adult tissue with primary roles to maintain and repair tissue in which they reside. For example, epidermal and dermal stem cells play role in the continuous renewal of the skin.

On the other hand, stem cells also exist in plants in meristematic tissue. Their responsibility is to keep plants growing.  They have the ability to divide rapidly and have not been designed for any specific end goal, thus are frequently compared to the stem cells in animals, which have similar behavior and function.

Importance of stem cells?

Stem cells are important in tissue repairing due to their ability to self-renewal and differentiation. There is huge scientific evidence that stem cells can be used in treating immune-mediated diseases such as osteoarthritis, cardiac ischemia, liver failure, etc. The immune system can be reboot by using stem cells.  Besides, new stem cells treatment has recently been approved for repairing damage to the cornea.

Plant stem cells represent the ultimate origin of many food we eat, the oxygen we breathe, as well as the fuels we burn. Thus, plant stem cells may be ranked among the most important cells for human well-being. Among plant stem cells, grape and apple stem cells are scientifically proven by most studies to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and enhance the proliferation of human adult stem cells. Thus, after taking grape and apple stem cells, the visible improvement is a better youthfulness.  Being a potent antioxidant, they can prevent or delay many diseases by keeping our body cell healthy and energetic.