Dr. Mansour identifies two defining properties of cells: First, they can self-regenerate, meaning they divide and give rise to more regenerative cells of the same kind. Second, cells can mature or differentiate into specialized cells which carry out a specific function in the skin, muscle, or cartilage. A breakthrough in modern medicine revolves around the use of umbilical cord cells to aid in the healing of tissues. These powerful cells are injected into damaged tissues, ligaments, muscles and tendons, arthritic joints, or other tissues in an attempt to stimulate and accelerate healing.