Stem cells are blank cells that can turn into other kinds of cells. The ones in your bone marrow make all of your blood cells!
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Most cells have one job. A red blood cell carries oxygen. A nerve cell sends messages. But a stem cell hasn't picked a job yet.
When a stem cell splits in two, it can do two things:
Scroll up to the 3D model and press Copy itself, then Make new cells.
Inside some of your bones is soft, spongy bone marrow. Stem cells there make every kind of blood cell:
Your bone marrow makes about 2 million new red blood cells every second!
Stem cells are not only in bone marrow. Your skin, your gut, and other parts of your body have their own stem cells. They help replace old cells and fix small injuries.
Doctors already use blood stem cells to help people with some blood illnesses. Scientists are studying stem cells to find new ways to heal the body.
When you were a tiny baby growing before you were born, you started as just one cell. That cell made all of the different cells in your body!
By Operation Ouch. A fun video for kids.
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