Adult stem cells have the potential to differentiate into all cell types whereas embryo stem cells have a more limited potential and can only differentiate into cell types that are similar to the tissue their taken from.

Both adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells have the potential to differentiate into all cell types.

Embryonic stem cells have the potential to differentiate into all cell types whereas adult stem cells have a more limited potential and can only differentiate into cell types that are similar to the tissue their taken from.

Both embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells have a more limited potential and can only differentiate into cell types that are similar to the tissue their taken from.

Growth

Production of hormones

Repair

Nerve transmissions

Muscle contraction

Found in the tissue of adults and children including the brain, skin and bone marrow.

Found in the root and shoot tips.

Found in the inner cell mass of early embryos around 4-5 days old.

Found in the tissue of adults and children including the brain, skin and bone marrow.

Found in the inner cell mass of early embryos around 4-5 days old.

Found in the root and shoot tips.

Unspecialised

Growth

Self-renewal

Embryonic stem cells

Adult stem cells

They can differentiate into many cell types.

They can replicate themselves.

They can grow in size.

They explode.

Stem cells

Root

Shoot

Meristems

Found in the tissue of adults and children including the brain, skin and bone marrow.

Found in the inner cell mass of early embryos around 4-5 days old.

Found in root and shoot tips

Cornea repair

Parkinsons

Stress

Alzheimers

Bone marrow transplants

Skin grafts

Depression

B

A

C