title: Stem cells: a negative approach.
abstract: A discussion of the stem-cell concept from a negative point of view is presented to highlight the kinetics of the hematopoietic system. The negative approach documents the need for 318 pounds of stem cells to produce the red blood cells and neutrophils necessary to sustain a person for an average lifespan, assuming that the human organism did not have a self-sustaining pluripotent stem cell pool.
mesh_terms: D006410:Hematopoiesis; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans