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Stem cells can do two things: First, they can divide and specialize into other kinds of cells. Embryonic stem cells, especially, have the ability, or potential, to become any cell type. Stem cells can also divide indefinitely without specializing; resulting "daughter cells" have the same potential as the parent cells.

Human stem cells
Courtesy Meri Firpo

This ability of embryonic stem cells to grow without specializing is called self-renewal. Embryonic stem cells grow by self-renewal very efficiently, but most adult stem cells don't self renew outside of the body. If scientists could understand why, and give adult stem cells what they need to self renew, then they might be able to use adult stem cells for more transplantation therapies.

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Firpo's research on leukemia and
diabetes