Specialized Cells

Undifferentiated

A cell which is not yet specialized

Differentiated

A cell which is specialised to a specific function

Stem cell

A cell with the unique ability to develop into specialised cell types in the body. In the future they may be used to replace cells and tissues that have been damaged or lost due to disease

Diabetes

A disease of the pancreas which may be treated with stem cells

Zygote

A fertilised egg cell which divides to form an embryo

Bone marrow

A source of stem cells which can become many types of cell including blood cells

embryo

An organism in the earliest stage of development usually staged by number of cells or number of days

Pluripotent Stem Cells

Capable of developing into most, but not all, of the body's cell types from an embro

Specialized Cells

Cells have a specific role to perform. Each specialised cell has a different job to do.

Multipotent Stem Cell

Potential decreases to only make limited cell types from specific tissues they are found in.

Totipotent Stem Cells

Potential to differentiate into ANY type of cell in body or placenta from fertilitized egg

Potency

The number of types of cells that stem cells can differentiate into.

Unipotent Stem Cells

adult stem cells that give rise to only one specialized cell type