blood banks & centres
Haematopoetic stem cells (HSCs) are primarily responsible for replenishing blood and regenerating the immune system. HSCs are also known as precursor cells, as they have the unique ability to differentiate into different types of cells found in blood, namely:
-Red blood cells which carry oxygen to all cells in the body
-White blood cells which fight infection
-Platelets which assist blood clotting in the event of injury
There are three main sources of stem cells:
-Bone marrow
-Peripheral blood (blood that circulates through your body)
-Umbilical cord blood