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Types of Stem Cells

Stem cells are divided into groups depending on their abilities to differentiate into different tissues:

  • Totipotent stem cells: cells capable of giving rise to all other types of cells. This includes the fertilized egg and the subsequent new cells formed until approximately day 4 of development.

  • Pluripotent stem cells: this term refers both to embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These cells can give rise to all types of cells, except those that form the amniotic sac and the placenta. ESCs come from the inner cell mass in the blastocyst, while iPSCs are generated from somatic cells.

  • Multipotent stem cells: Also called adult stem cells, these are cells that can develop into closely related cell types.

Illustration of the origin of different stem cells. On top of the scheme, there is an oocyte, which evolves to totipotent stem cell morula, represented by an arrow, and, eventually, to blastocyst. That blastocyst ends up becoming a human fetus. Another arrow points from the blastocyst to pluripotent embryonic stem cells, which are divided into three lines represented by three different types of circles: endoderm line, mesoderm line, and ectoderm line. There are three arrows pointing from these three lines toward multipotent stem cells. Each multipotent stem cell line is represented by a the same circles as the previous pluripotent line, but smaller. The endoderm pluripotent line, after becoming multipotent, it will result in lung and pancreas cells. The mesoderm line, following the same process, will end up being a heart and red blood cell. And finally, the ectoderm will differentiate into skin cells and neurons. On the right part of the image, there is a big arrow pointing upwards. The origin of the arrow is "adult bone marrow, skin, cord blood, decidious teeth" and it is pointing toward induced pluripotent stem cells. Transcription factors are essencial for that to happen.

Figure 1: Origin of different stem cells.

Referred from:

Article
Stem Cells
Article
Regeneration