BIO 448
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF
DIFFERENTIATION
Cell differentiation is the process of cells becoming specialized as they body develops.
cells specialize into different cell types in the human body…
Stem cells
• an unspecialized cell
• divide without limit as neededunder specific conditions
• differentiate into specialized cells
• divided into several categories according to their potential to differentiate…
• embryonic cells
• zygote
• Totipotent stem cell
• Pluripotent stem cell
• Multipotent stem cell
• Oligopotent stem cell
• Unipotent stem cell
• There are different stem cells present at different stages of a human’s life.
• Adult bone marrow has three distinct types of stem cells:
1.hematopoietic stem cells 2.endothelial stem cells
3.mesenchymal stem cells
• Hematopoiesis
the differentiation of multipotent cells into blood and immune cells.
• capacity of stem cells to differentiate into specialized cells
• potentially valuable in therapeutic applications
designed to replace damaged cells of different body tissues