Stem cell therapy is a relatively new and innovative medical treatment that has been used for many years to treat disorders and diseases in humans. Recently, it has also been used to treat animals, such as dogs, cats and horses. Stem cells are unspecialized cells that can renew themselves through division, potentially forming specific tissue or organ cells depending on the conditions they are subjected to. As stem cells are capable of self-renewal, they provide an internal repair system for damaged or dead tissues by reproducing and turning into the necessary types of cells for replacing the missing ones.
The fundamental concept of stem cell therapy requires the transfer of stem cells from one part of the body into another area where those cells would be useful in regenerating tissue. This enables the body to repair itself and replace damaged tissues through regeneration rather than surgery, thus providing a far less invasive treatment option. There two different kinds of stem cell therapy: embryonic stem cell therapy which uses stem cells found in embryos; or adult stem cell therapy which takes advantage of stem cells isolated from bone marrow or other organs in adults. Either way provides many potential benefits, such as treating complex medical issues like arthritis without risk of rejection or complications resulting from surgery while still allowing rapid healing and regeneration.