But it has many meanings. Although these cells were known about for at least 20 years, in 1998 teams at the University of Wisconsin and Johns Hopkins University reported on how to culture the cells, launching a new era of cell engineering. Also called pluripotent stem cells. Some research seeks to reprogram these cells, exploring them as possible substitutes for the ethically controversial embryonic stem cells. In 1999, scientists at Harvard Medical School found neural stem cells in the brains of adults.
Current research seeks to drive neural stem cells toward specific types of neurons to treat disease.
The best-studied type of stem cell, they are often infused into cancer patients after chemotherapy to rebuild the immune system. They show characteristics of neural, blood, and muscle stem cells, among others. First described in early 2001 by Johns Hopkins University scientists.