What are stem cells?

What can an embryonic stem cells do that adult stem cells can't?

• I'm doing a four page report on stem cells for my science class on stem cells. I need to know what embryonic stem cells can do theat adult stem cells can't and what adult stem cells can do that embryonic stem cells can't. Please include your resources. Thanks for helping.

• Answer:

  Embryonic stem cells can form pretty much anything. It can make brain cells, cells for those with damaged spinal cords, to organs. What they do is take a egg cell, and take the nucleus out. The donor of the new nucleus is the person who needs to have the orgain/cells/ect transplant. They starve the cell until it goes dormant, and then they inject the nucleus into it; sending an electrical shock though it; with it thinking it got fertilized. The cells start to dived, and in a petri dish, with the right chemicals and such used, they can make a ear, a new heart, ect. with the embryonic cells. Scientists regard this as a helpful new technology, since the body sees the cells as their own; as the DNA is a perfect match up. Adult stem cells, however, have the possibility of being rejected by the body, which the embryonic cells don't have. And adult stem cells aren't able to be used as widely; and can only make a few things, ect. As far as adult stem cells abilities vs abilities the embryonic stem cell, II don't -think- there is anything positive. Other then adult stem cells might be more widely accessible, since getting an egg cell from a women can get rather high (I think it was 1,000USD per egg); let alone it's a rather painful process, if I recall correctly. ^_^; I hope your report goes well. :) I was very interested in both sides regarding this hotly debated topic; along with being interasted in health and science. x)