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What Cell Is Unipotent?

Published in Cell Biology 2 mins read

A unipotent cell is a stem cell that can produce only one cell type but has the crucial ability to self-renew.

Understanding Unipotent Stem Cells

Unipotent stem cells are specialized stem cells committed to differentiating into a single cell type. This differs from pluripotent or multipotent stem cells, which can differentiate into multiple cell types. The key characteristic of unipotent cells is their ability to self-renew, which distinguishes them from non-stem cells that cannot replicate indefinitely.

Examples of Unipotent Cells

According to the provided reference, here are examples of unipotent stem cells:

  • Germ line stem cells: These cells produce sperm.
  • Epidermal stem cells: These cells produce skin cells.

Table Summarizing Stem Cell Potency

Cell Type Differentiation Potential Self-Renewal Example
Totipotent Can differentiate into all embryonic and extraembryonic cells Yes Zygote
Pluripotent Can differentiate into all cells of the three germ layers Yes Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs)
Multipotent Can differentiate into a limited range of cell types Yes Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs)
Unipotent Can differentiate into only one cell type Yes Epidermal stem cells

In summary, unipotent stem cells, like germ line stem cells and epidermal stem cells, demonstrate the ability to self-renew while being restricted to producing a single cell type.