Inquiry Contract Progress

While I researched Stem Cells today in study hall, I started to learn more about the different levels of potency stem cells can have and what actually defines a stem cell. The two properties, which help to define a stem cell, are the abilities to differentiate into more specialized cells and the ability to go through many cell divisions without becoming differentiated. The potency of stem cells is also categorized into five different levels. The top most is a stem cell which is “totipotent,” meaning the cell can produce most any cell, including becoming an organ. The next level is “pluripotent” which is generally descended from the totipotent cells and can still differentiate into nearly any cell. After pluripotent comes “multipotent,” and this refers to the ability of the cell to divide into several different types of cells, but only those, which are closely related. Next are the “Oligopotent” cells, which are only able to transform into a few new cells, but are still not specialized. Finally are the “unipotent” cells, which can only produce cells of their own type but can actively renew themselves.