Pluripotency
Pluripotency (/plʊərɪˈpɒtənsi/; from Latin pluri- "many" and potentia "power") is the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This term is used in the field of Biology and more specifically in Cell Biology and Stem Cell Research.
Etymology
The term "pluripotent" comes from the Latin words pluri (meaning "many") and potentia (meaning "power"). It refers to the ability of a cell to develop into multiple different cell types.
Definition
Pluripotency refers to a stem cell that has the potential to differentiate into any type of cell in the body, excluding a placental or extra-embryonic cell. This is in contrast to Multipotent Cells, which can only differentiate into a limited number of cell types, and Totipotent Cells, which can generate all cell types, including extra-embryonic or placental cells.
Related Terms
- Stem Cell: A cell with the unique ability to develop into specialised cell types in the body.
- Embryonic Stem Cells: Pluripotent stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, an early-stage pre-implantation embryo.
- Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: A type of pluripotent stem cell that can be generated directly from adult cells.
- Cell Differentiation: The process by which a less specialized cell becomes a more specialized cell type.
- Germ Layers: The three layers of cells in the embryo from which all tissues and organs will develop.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Pluripotency
- Wikipedia's article - Pluripotency
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