Have You Ever Seen a Stem Cell?

During the past decade, few discoveries have prompted as much attention and controversy as embryonic stem cell research. Recently there's been excitement about a technique that may be able to make adult skin cells act like embryonic stem cells, and just today scientists at Stanford University reported that stroke-disabled animals had better movement after receiving embryonic stem cell transplants.

But aside from the controversy and the hype, the fact that scientists can prod a cell to become any tissue in the body seems like some science fiction writer's far out concept. And for me, until recently, stem cells have remained just that -- an abstract, almost magical idea. So it was a remarkable experience to be in a lab last spring and actually see the cells at the center of all this potential and debate.

Just looking at the image on the screen made me stop and wonder about the possibilities. Do these cells really hold the potential to help people with Parkinson's and other chronic diseases? There's much that remains to be sorted out on both the research and political fronts, but for now it's worth just taking a moment to stop and look at these microscopic entities that garner so much attention. So if you've never seen a stem cell, watch this.