How Do Stem Cells Differentiate? | eHow

mom style food tech home money health crafts More3

Browse Articles & Videos By Category

Roxann Schroeder

Roxann Schroeder, Ph.D, has been a science writer and editor for over 10 years. Her experience includes research articles, grants, theses, dissertations, web sites, text books and book chapters. She also teaches biology and grant writing at the local university.

Stem cells have two functions; they divide (proliferate) and their daughter cells become specialized tissues as they lose the ability to divide. This change-from a dividing cell to a specialized cell-is called differentiation.

When stem cells divide into two cells, one cell is still a stem cell (self-renewal); the other is a daughter cell that starts to become specialized.

Embryonic stem cells are totipotent, meaning they can give rise to any and all tissues in the body. Adult stem cells are usually multipotent, meaning they can differentiate into some, but not all, cell types.

Each time a daughter cell divides, it become more specialized (differentiated); eventually, it can no longer divide.

When daughter cells are fully differentiated (mature), they have functions not found in the stem cell; muscle cells contract, gland cells secrete molecules, blood cells carry oxygen and skin cells protect the body.

The liver can regenerate from a small fragment; until recently, the only neurons known to regenerate were odor receptors. Stem cells have been found in many tissues, but not all tissues have the same ability to regenerate.

Read more:
How Do Stem Cells Differentiate? | eHow