pluripotent
/ˌplʊərɪˈpəʊt(ə)nt
/adjective Biology
(Of an immature cell or stem cell) capable of giving rise to several different cell types: many types of cells originate from pluripotent bone marrow stem cells...
- As a pluripotent cell type, a human embryonic stem cell is capable of forming all adult cell types.
- The pluripotent embryonic stem cell cannot, under any conditions, develop into an organism.
- Cells from these embryos can be used to create pluripotent stem cell ‘lines’, cultures that can be grown indefinitely in the laboratory.
Origin
1940s: from pluri- 'several' + Latin potent- 'being able' (see potent1).