Stemcelllike
Stemcelllike is a descriptive term used in biology to describe cells that resemble stem cells in their behavior or molecular features. Such cells may display self-renewal and multipotency or pluripotency and express gene programs similar to those of authentic stem cells, but they are not necessarily true stem cells. The label is commonly applied to cells arising from reprogramming of somatic cells, to progenitor or lineage-committed cells that retain partial stem cell traits, or to subpopulations within tumors that resemble stem cells.
Key characteristics often cited for stemcelllike cells include the capacity for clonal expansion, the ability to
The term acknowledges a spectrum rather than a binary classification: stemcelllike cells may closely resemble stem
In research, stemcelllike cells are relevant to studies of development, tissue regeneration, cancer biology, and drug