Topic 3C.4 Stem Cells

totipotent

an undifferentiated cell that can form any one of the different cell types needed for an entire organism

blastocyst

an early embryo consisting of a hollow ball of cells with an inner cell mass of pluripotent cells that will eventually form a new organism

embryonic stem cells

the undifferentiated cells of the early human embryo with the potential to develop into many different types of specialised cell

morula

an early embryo made up of a solid ball of 10-30 totipotent cells

pluripotent

an undifferentiated cell that can form most of the cell types needed for an entire new organism

adult stem cells (somatic stem cells)

undifferentiated cells found among the normal differentiated cells in a tissue or organ that can differentiate when needed to produce any one of the major cell types found in that particular tissue or organ

multipotent

a cell that can form a very limited range of differentiated cells within a mature organism