Stem cells are a class of undifferentiated cells that can specialize into other cell types. In other words, they are cells capable of turning into several different types of cells in the body.
Plasticity
Stem cells are able to develop into other types of cells! This ability of a cell to turn into different cell types is called plasticity.
Tips to Remember!
Consider cells like pieces of plastic. Most cells are like the stiff and hard plastic you see making up everyday things like your water bottles. Even if you bend them, they will not budge or change into a different shape. However, stem cells are like the pieces of plastic used to package earbuds or staplers. If you bend this plastic, you can create all different kinds of shapes. This ability to "bend" and change into different forms is what is known as plasticity in stem cells!
Differentiation
Stem cells can turn into different (more specific or specialized) cell types through a certain process. This process is called differentiation.
Tips to Remember!
A stem cell is considered less specialized than a body cell (e.g. muscle cell or neuron) because the stem cell can turn into many different cell types - you can think about it as none of them being really "special" to the stem cell. On the other hand, differentiation results in stem cells forming more specific cell types that can only turn into certain types of cell (or just one!). One example is of a stem cell that can differentiate into a "special" and more specialized muscle cell!
Self-Renewal
Stem cells can divide indefinitely to create more or maintain the same number of stem cells. This is known as self-renewal.
Tips to Remember!
Consider you are at the library and want to keep a book you checked out last week for some more time. The librarian will ask if you want to renew the book - in other words, do you want to go through a process to maintain the same number of that book in your possession for you to use. (Think about it!)
The same holds true for stem cells! The number of stem cells can also be renewed, but instead of using a library, cells can do it on their own! Hence, the term self renewal.
Properties of Stem Cell
