cellsundifferentiated
Undifferentiated cells are cells that have not yet acquired specialized characteristics or functions. In multicellular organisms, these cells are capable of giving rise to multiple cell types during development. They typically retain high proliferative capacity and the potential to differentiate along several lineages, a property known as potency.
Potency ranges from totipotent (able to form all embryonic and extraembryonic tissues) to pluripotent (able to
In cell culture, undifferentiated cells are maintained with defined signals and growth factors that preserve their
Applications include basic developmental biology, disease modeling, drug screening, and regenerative medicine. Differentiation protocols guide these
See also embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, stem cell potency, teratoma assay.