Stem cells are blank cells that can develop into virtually any kind of cell in the human body.
Stem cells, however, have not gone through the differentiation process. By isolating stem cells in a laboratory, scientists theoretically could grow new heart cells to repair damage from heart attacks, new liver cells to treat hepatitis and new red blood cells for cancer patients. However, any such use of stem cells is at least a decade in the future because scientists still don't know how to customize these blank stem cells and turn them into cells with a specific function. Growing heart muscle cells to replace useless scar tissue after a heart attack. Making brain cells that would secrete dopamine for the treatment and control of Parkinson's disease.