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You have been given stem cells from bone marrow.

You were given stem cells that had previously been taken from your bone marrow. The bone marrow is inside bone.

Stem cells are cells that can develop into different types of cells. For example, blood cells can develop from stem cells. Stem cells are found in the blood and inside some bones. Blood is made up of a liquid part and different blood cells, among other things. The blood cells include the red blood cells, the white blood cells and the platelets. The red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. White blood cells are part of the body’s immune system. They fight pathogens. Platelets are important for blood clotting.

Before someone is given stem cells they are usually given a certain treatment. The aim of this treatment is to ensure that as many stem cells as possible in the person’s own body are destroyed. The bone marrow is sometimes irradiated to achieve this. There is a particularly large volume of stem cells in bone marrow. The person may also be given certain drugs. The treatment also destroys a part of the person’s own defense system. The defense system combats, for example, changed body cells or pathogens.