Stem cells of the reproductive tract of women

Research in stem cells is one of the most rapidly evolving fields of investigation in medicine today. Stem cells are defined as cells that have the capacity to both generate daughter cells identical to the cell of origin (self-renewal) and to produce progeny with more restricted, specialized potential (differentiated cells). This dual ability to self-renew and differentiate offers great promise for expanding our understanding of organ systems, elucidating disease pathophysiology, and creating therapeutic approaches to difficult diseases. The goal of this review is to offer an overview of the different types of stem cells and to provide an introduction to the applications of stem cells to the field of obstetrics and gynecology.