Pluripotent

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This term is derived from the Latin words 'pluri', meaning several, and 'potentia', meaning power. Pluripotent cells, such as embryonic stem cells, have the potential to differentiate into any cell type in the body, excluding extra-embryonic tissues.

Characteristics of Pluripotent Stem Cells

Pluripotent stem cells are unique due to their ability to differentiate into any cell type in the body. This characteristic is known as cellular differentiation. They also have the ability to self-renew, meaning they can divide and replicate themselves indefinitely.

Types of Pluripotent Stem Cells

There are two main types of pluripotent stem cells: embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). ESCs are derived from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, an early-stage preimplantation embryo. iPSCs, on the other hand, are a type of pluripotent stem cell that can be generated directly from adult cells.

Applications of Pluripotent Stem Cells

Pluripotent stem cells have a wide range of applications in the field of regenerative medicine. They can be used to generate cells and tissues for therapy, to model disease, and in drug screening and toxicity testing.

See Also

• Totipotent
• Multipotent
• Unipotent
• Stem cell

References

Pluripotent Resources
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