Describe the role of stem cells and a therapeutic use

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that retain the ability to specialize. In animals/ mammals, they are found in the embryos and adult tissue and in plants they are found in the meristematic tissue in the root tips and stems. There are four types of stem cells; pluripotent (can differentiate into any cell and tissue types), totipotent (can differentiate into any cell and tissue types except the placenta), multipotent (offspring of pluripotent and can differentiate into a limited range of cell types), and unipotent (found in adult tissue (precursor cells) and can differentiate into one lineage of cells or tissues. A therapeutic use of stem cells is Bone Marrow Transplant. Patients suffering cancer undergo chemotherapy. However, before undergoing chemotherapy they undergo an autologous bone marrow transplant or are given bone marrow from a donor. Bone marrow contains stem cells that give rise to healthy red blood cells and platelets, which a patient is unable to produce whilst undergoing chemotherapy. Therefore, once their treatment is over the bone marrow (from before chemotherapy) is reinjected via the vein in an arm or chest allowing the patient to produce healthy red blood cells and platelets.