noun
- The capacity of a cell to develop into multiple different cell types or tissues within an organism.
Usage: biology; cell biology; commonly used in stem cell research
Examples
- Embryonic stem cells are prized in research because of their pluripotency.
- The pluripotency of induced pluripotent stem cells allows them to differentiate into nearly any cell type.
- Scientists study pluripotency to understand how cells decide which tissues to become.
- The loss of pluripotency occurs as cells specialize during development.
- Researchers are exploring ways to maintain pluripotency in cultured cells for medical applications.