This entry was posted on Monday, August 3rd, 2009 at 2:02 pm and is filed under Bone Marrow. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
Blood cells perform some of the body’s most critical functions. Red blood cells usher oxygen from the lungs to all other destinations in the body. White blood cells, on the other hand, provide a solid line of defense against viruses and disease. Many of these blood cells are produced in bone marrow, the soft tissue located inside large, hollow bones.
Bone marrow is also home to the body’s most unique adult stem cells. Some of these cells are multipotent, meaning they have the potential to differentiate into multiple cell types. Whereas myocytes, or muscle cells, can never change their form, multipotent bone marrow stem cells can become bone cells, cartilage cells, muscle cells and more. As a result, these cells are particularly useful in advanced medical procedures.
