What Are Stem Cells?

Reviewed by: Dr. Omar Abbas | Licensed Physician | USA

Key Takeaways

• Stem cells are the body’s raw building blocks
• They can grow into many different types of cells
• Stem cell therapy is being explored for chronic conditions like MS, Parkinson’s, ALS, lupus, and more.
• Most stem cell treatments are still experimental and not FDA-approved.
• Some studies show symptom improvement, but it’s not a cure.

What Are Stem Cells, Exactly?

Our bodies are made of many different kinds of cells — like skin cells, blood cells, nerve cells, and more. All of these start out as stem cells.

Think of stem cells like babies: they haven’t “decided” what they’ll grow up to be yet.

Some stem cells grow up to become epithelial cells — like those in your sweat glands, stomach lining, or lungs.

Others grow up to become mesenchymal cells, which can become things like:

• Blood vessels (veins and arteries)
• Nerve support cells
• Cartilage
• Bone
• Fat tissue

Stem cells are special because they can repair or replace damaged cells — which is why scientists are excited about their potential in disease treatment.

What Is Stem Cell Therapy?

Stem cell therapy involves collecting healthy stem cells (from your own body or a donor), processing them, and putting them back into your body — usually through an IV or injection.

The goal is to:

• Calm down an overactive immune system
• Reduce inflammation
• Help the body heal damaged tissues

This can be especially helpful in autoimmune diseases, where the body attacks itself, or in degenerative diseases, where parts of the body slowly stop working over time.

What Conditions Are Being Studied?

Stem cell therapy is being researched for several chronic diseases, including:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) – to reduce flare-ups and reset the immune system
• Parkinson’s Disease – to support or replace damaged brain cells
• ALS – to protect nerves and slow progression
• Lupus and Autoimmune Diseases – to calm the immune system
• Type 1 Diabetes – to restore insulin-producing cells
• Alzheimer’s Disease – early research into brain repair

Each condition is different — and results vary — but many patients are showing real signs of improvement in clinical trials and with some overseas clinics.

Is Stem Cell Therapy Safe?

It depends on how it’s done and where. Risks can include:

• Infection
• Immune reactions
• Short-term side effects like fever or fatigue
• Serious complications if done by unqualified providers
• Death from either the therapy itself, or from infections after taking immunosuppressants

That’s why it’s important to only consider licensed clinics with proven track records or registered clinical trials — not places making big promises with little evidence.

Is It FDA Approved?

Right now, most stem cell therapies for autoimmune and degenerative diseases are not FDA-approved. Only a few treatments — like bone marrow transplants for blood cancers — are officially approved.

This doesn’t mean they don’t work. It just means they’re still being studied and should be used carefully, under the right supervision.

Before You Consider It… Ask These Questions:

• Is this part of a clinical trial or regulated treatment?
• What kind of stem cells are being used?
• What condition is this for — and is there evidence it helps?
• What are the risks?
• Who is performing the procedure, and are they licensed?

If the clinic can’t answer these questions — or promises a cure — that’s a red flag.

Bottom Line

Stem cell therapy is an exciting and promising new area in regenerative medicine. It’s not magic, and it’s not a cure — but for many patients with tough, life-changing diseases, it may offer a new path forward.

If you’re interested in exploring stem cell therapy for a chronic condition, we can help guide you to safe, ethical options.

References:

1. Introduction to Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine. Kolios G, Moodley Y. Respiration; International Review of Thoracic Diseases. 2013;85(1):3-10. doi:10.1159/000345615.

2. Application of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine: A New Approach in Modern Medical Science. Ebrahimi F, Pirouzmand F, Cosme Pecho RD, et al. Biotechnology Progress. 2023 Nov-Dec;39(6):e3374. doi:10.1002/btpr.3374.

3. Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Multiple Sclerosis: Recent Evidence From Pre-Clinical to Clinical Studies. Gugliandolo A, Bramanti P, Mazzon E. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020;21(22):E8662. doi:10.3390/ijms21228662.

4. Current Advances in Stem Cell Therapy in the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis. Zolfaghari Baghbadorani P, Rayati Damavandi A, Moradi S, et al. Reviews in the Neurosciences. 2023;34(6):613-633. doi:10.1515/revneuro-2022-0102.

5. Recent Advances in Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis: Clinical Applications and Challenges. Sheikhi K, Ghaderi S, Firouzi H, et al. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. 2025;13:1517369. doi:10.3389/fcell.2025.1517369.

6. Preclinical Quality, Safety, and Efficacy of a Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Product for the Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease, STEM-PD. Kirkeby A, Nelander J, Hoban DB, et al. Cell Stem Cell. 2023;30(10):1299-1314.e9. doi:10.1016/j.stem.2023.08.014.

7. Advancing Parkinson’s Disease Treatment: Cell Replacement Therapy With Neurons Derived From Pluripotent Stem Cells. Clark BJ, Lelos MJ, Loring JF. Stem Cells (Dayton, Ohio). 2024;42(9):781-790. doi:10.1093/stmcls/sxae042.

8. Cell-Based Therapies for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/­Motor Neuron Disease. Abdul Wahid SF, Law ZK, Ismail NA, Lai NM. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2019;12:CD011742. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011742.pub3.

9. Neural Stem/­Progenitor Cell Therapy in Patients and Animals With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Zhang J, Guo R, Zhou Z, et al. Molecular Neurobiology. 2025;62(5):6521-6536. doi:10.1007/s12035-024-04682-8.

10. Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Pathogenesis and Therapy of Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Diseases. Zaripova LN, Midgley A, Christmas SE, et al. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023;24(22):16040. doi:10.3390/ijms242216040.

11. Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy: Hope for Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Li A, Guo F, Pan Q, et al. Frontiers in Immunology. 2021;12:728190. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.728190.

12. Advances in Cell Replacement Therapies for Diabetes. Hering BJ, Rickels MR, Bellin MD, et al. Diabetes. 2025;:db250037. doi:10.2337/db25-0037.

13. Stem Cell Transplantation in the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: From Insulin Replacement to Beta-Cell Replacement. Wan XX, Zhang DY, Khan MA, et al. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2022;13:859638. doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.859638.

14. Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease: A Novel Therapeutic Approach for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Bhatt A, Bhardwaj H, Srivastava P. Neuroscience. 2024;555:52-68. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.07.019.

15. Therapeutic Potential of Human Stem Cell Implantation in Alzheimer’s Disease. Chan HJ, Yanshree, Roy J, et al. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021;22(18):10151. doi:10.3390/ijms221810151.

16. Efficacy and Safety of Stem Cell Transplantation for Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nawar AA, Farid AM, Wally R, et al. Scientific Reports. 2024;14(1):12545. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-62726-4.

17. Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Therapies for Treating Well-Studied Neurological Disorders: A Systematic Review. Patel GD, Liu L, Li A, et al. Frontiers in Medicine. 2024;11:1361723. doi:10.3389/fmed.2024.1361723.
18. Stem Cell Therapy in Neuroimmunological Diseases and Its Potential Neuroimmunological Complications. Konen FF, Schwenkenbecher P, Jendretzky KF, et al. Cells. 2022;11(14):2165. doi:10.3390/cells11142165.