Continuing with our contribution to Cord Blood Awareness Month, this week we are raising awareness of stem cells and cell potency.

Stem cells are the very building blocks of our bodies.  At the moment of conception, a stem cell is made, a master cell which creates the lineage of cells needed to create a baby. As the cells continue to divide, after conception, they become more and more specialised, taking on roles dedicated to a more specific purpose. This process is called differentiation, the more specialised a cell becomes, the more its ability to differentiate into other cells diminishes and less potent it is.