Hyperbaric Centers of Florida

Stem Cell Definitions

Undifferentiated cells (these include the various types of multipotent and unipotent stem cells), found in a differentiated tissue of the developed, adult organism. These cells can renew themselves and differentiate (with certain limitations) to give rise to all the specialized cell types of the tissue they derive from. Adult stem cells can be found in bone marrow or in the umbilical cord blood of newborn babies.

Multipotent stem cells from bone marrow; types include haematopoietic stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells.

CD34 refers to a special molecular structure that can be found on the surface of haematopoietic stem cells. With the help of this marker, the haematopoietic precursors can be differentiated from other precursors. CD is the abbreviation of "cluster of differentiation".

See: Regenerative medicine

To generate identical copies of a molecule, cell, or organism.

The vessels of the umbilical cord during and shortly after delivery contain stem cells. These stem cells are in the blood at the time of delivery, because they move from the liver, where blood formation takes place during foetal life, to the bone marrow, where blood is made after birth. Umbilical cord stem cells are similar to the stem cells that reside in bone marrow, and can be used for the treatment of leukaemia and other diseases of the blood.

The process whereby an undifferentiated embryonic cell acquires the features of a specialized cell such as the liver, brain, heart or muscle cell.

The product of a fertilized egg. This term extends from the time of fertilization (zygote) until it becomes a foetus, which in the human is approximately eight weeks later.

Precursor of mature blood cells

Latin for "in glass". Names processes that take place or are done in a laboratory dish, test tubes or other artificial environments.

Also known as bone marrow stromal cells. Mixed group of cells from the non-blood-forming section of bone marrow. Mesenchymal stem cells are capable of growth and differentiation into a number of different cell types.

The ability of an individual stem cell to develop into only a limited range of cell types. In general, adult stem cells are multipotent. Also see pluripotent and totipotent.

The ability of stem cells from a particular type of tissue to give rise to cell types of another type of tissue.

The ability of an individual stem cell to develop into numerous other types of cells. In general, embryonic stem cells are pluripotent.

A treatment in which stem cells are induced to differentiate into the specific cell type required to repair damaged or destroyed cell populations.

Cells with the ability to divide for indefinite periods in culture and to give rise to specialized cells.

Tissue Engineering refers to the production of tissue constructions from endogenous somatic cells. Stem cells or other differentiated somatic cells are used for the construction. In this way, tissue (such as skin or cartilage) can be grown outside the body and then transplanted to the patient.

Type of cell that can form an entire organism. The zygote (a fertilized egg) and the first four cells produced by its cleavage are totipotent.

Usually applied to cells in adult organisms that are capable of differentiating along only one lineage.

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