Definition
noun
The cell that is capable of developing into any cell type.
Supplement
In a developing embryo, totipotent stem cells are able to produce every cell type in an embryo, including the extraembryonic tissue.
Compare: unipotent cell, multipotent cell, pluripotent cell.
See also: potency.
User Contributions / Comments:
- Eeiren:
“The Totipotential {total potential} Stem Cell is a cell capable of developing into any type of cell in the organism. So far in higher level organisms such as mammals it has only been found that the bone marrow stem cell can become any cell in the organism it came from by physical contact with another cell in the organism such as in scar tissue creation with eventual development into surrounding tissue types.
There are two schools of thought in regards to embryonic stem cells.
One believes that if the right stimulus can be found an embryonic cell can be stimulated to produce different cell types and even different body parts or organs. As to date this has not been successfully accomplished to any level except in lower level amphibian type animals.
The other believes that the potential for the embryo and what the cells will differentiate into is predetermined at the moment of fertilization where it is set on it’s course of development.
As to date there has been nothing other than amphibian cell stimulation causing sporadic uncontrolled and odd additional body part developments in developing amphibians showing more a disruption in the development process rather than a stimulation for anything less chaotic that agrees with the first hypothesis presented that disagrees to some lesser degree with the second hypothesis presented.”
