美国科学60秒 SSS 2013-06-14（在线收听）

 　　Stem cells are prised for their ability to give rise to a variety of specialized cell types, including heart, liver, nerve and bone. Unfortunately, it's the stem cells from embryos that have shown the biggest potential, for generating both a range of tissues and a ton of controversy. Now researchers have discovered a new type of stem cell, present in adults, that appears to have similar potential to its embryonic kin. Best of all, it comes from a source that a lot of us would be happy to give away — body fat. That's according to a study in the Journal Plus One. These fat-based stem cells were discovered by accident. Researchers were trying to grow cells from material collected by liposuction. But when a piece of lab equiment failed, the cells in their sample died, except for these ususually hardy stem cells. They can apparently withstand all sorts of harsh conditions, like nutrient or oxygen deprivation and attack by digestive enzymes. In fact stress may even activate these cells, which would make them excellent candidates for repairing disease or damaged tissues. More studies are needed to explore these cells' potential, which means researchers could be looking for a big fat donation.