Current stem cell research is divided into two areas. The first concerns hematopoietic stem cells, which can develop into blood and immune system tissue; the second concerns mesenchymal stem cells, which can differentiate into neurons, liver cells, myocardial cells, fat cells, cartilage cells and so forth.
目前幹細胞的研究分成兩大部分，一是造血幹細胞──可發展成造血及免疫系統；一是間質幹細胞（或稱間葉幹細胞）──可分化成腦神經細胞、肝臟細胞、心肌肉細胞、脂肪細胞、軟骨細胞等。