The National Institutes of Health web site lists the charact

The National Institutes of Health web site lists the characteristics of various stem cell lines that are available for research. What does it mean if a cell line is described as pluripotent?

A. The cells contain two copies of each chromosome.

B. The cells can become any type of red blood cell, but no other types of cells.

C. The cells were created through somatic cell nuclear transfer.

D. The cells can specialize into any type of cell in the body.

E. There are multiple cultures of that particular stem cell line available for purchase.

Solution

Ans D the cells can specialize into any type of the cell in the body.

Pluripotent cells can give rise to any type of cells and multipotent cells can give rise to more than one kind of cell. Pluripotent cells have the ability to renew, they can make copies of their own type.