Stem Cells: Understanding the Difference Between Adult and Embryonic Stem Cells

How do adult stem cells differ from embryonic stem cells?

A. Adult stem cells have high healing potential, and embryonic stem cells have low healing potential.

B. Adult stem cells can only be used by adults, and embryonic stem cells can only be used by babies.

C. Adult stem cells have unipotency, and embryonic stem cells have pluripotency.

D. Adult stem cells have totipotency, and embryonic stem cells have multipotency.

Answer: C

Explanation: Adult stem cells can only differentiate to form a single type of cell. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent as they can differentiate into any cell types except extra embryonic membranes like placenta. Only zygotic stem cells are totipotent. Adult stem cells differ from embryonic stem cells as Adult stem cells have unipotency, and embryonic stem cells have pluripotency.

Difference between Unipotency and Pluripotency:

Unipotency: A unipotent cell is that one stem cell that has the capacity to differentiate into one cell type only.

Pluripotency: Pluripotent cell that has the potential to differentiate into any cell of the three germ layers i.e. endoderm, mesoderm, or ectoderm, but not into cells of extra-embryonic tissues like the placenta.

Adult Stem Cells are unipotent, meaning they can develop only one type of cell. Embryonic Stem Cells are pluripotent, hence they can develop into any cell type. Therefore, option C is correct.

How do adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells differ in terms of their potential to differentiate into different cell types?

Adult stem cells are unipotent, meaning they can only differentiate into one type of cell, while embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, having the ability to differentiate into any cell type except cells of extra-embryonic tissues like the placenta.