Cell Differentiation

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Embryo Noun

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[em-bree-oh]

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Embryo

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An early developmental stage of a multicellular organism from which the adult organism is gradually produced.

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Example: This diagram shows a bird embryo developing inside an egg. A single fertilized cell divides and differentiates to form all the specialized parts, like the eye and limbs.

Front

Differentiation Noun

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[dif-er-en-shee-ay-shun]

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Differentiation

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The process by which cells become specialized for particular functions during the development of an organism.

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Example: An unspecialized stem cell develops and changes to become various specialized cells, such as a nerve cell, muscle cell, or blood cell.

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Totipotent Adjective

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[toh-tip-uh-tent]

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Totipotent

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Describes a cell that can develop into any type of cell, including those of extra-embryonic membranes and placenta.

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Example: This diagram shows that the earliest cells, like the zygote and morula, are totipotent, meaning they can become any cell type in the organism.

Front

Blastocyst Noun

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[blas-toh-sist]

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Blastocyst

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A hollow ball of cells with an inner cell mass, formed during an early stage of human embryonic development.

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Example: This diagram shows a blastocyst, a hollow ball of cells. It highlights the internal cell mass and the outer trophoblast, which are the first two cell types to differentiate.

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Pluripotent Adjective

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[ploo-rip-uh-tent]

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Pluripotent

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Describes cells that can develop into any of the body's cell types but not the tissues surrounding the embryo.

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Example: This diagram shows that pluripotent stem cells are a group of cells in an early embryo that have the potential to develop into any type of cell in the body.

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Stem Cell Noun

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[stem sel]

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Stem Cell

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An unspecialized cell from which various types of differentiated cells develop through the process of cell division.

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Example: This diagram shows that unspecialized stem cells can develop (differentiate) into many different types of specialized cells, like brain, bone, pancreas, or heart cells.

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Multipotent Adjective

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[mul-tip-uh-tent]

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Multipotent

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Describes adult stem cells whose potential to differentiate is limited to replacing cells in the tissues where they are found.

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Example: A multipotent cell, like the central mesenchymal cell, is a stem cell that can develop into multiple, but limited, types of specialized body cells.

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Zygote Noun

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[zy-goht]

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Zygote

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A single cell resulting from the fertilization of an egg cell by a sperm cell; the fertilized egg.

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Example: This diagram shows that when a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell, they combine to form a single new cell called a zygote.

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Inner Cell Mass Noun

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[in-er sel mas]

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Inner Cell Mass

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A cluster of cells located inside the blastocyst from which the embryo itself will ultimately develop.

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Example: This diagram shows a blastocyst, where the inner cell mass is the group of cells that will develop into an embryo through cell differentiation.

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Regenerative Medicine Noun

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[ri-jen-er-uh-tiv med-uh-sin]

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Regenerative Medicine

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A field of medicine that makes use of stem cells to repair or replace damaged cells and tissues.

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Example: This diagram shows that unspecialized stem cells can develop (differentiate) into many different types of specialized cells, like brain or heart cells, to repair tissues.