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Genetics & Biotechnology vocabulary · Biotech Products and Bioprocessing

Stem cell

Meaning in genetics & biotechnology, with examples

nounCore term

In genetics & biotechnology, stem cell means: A cell that can divide to make more copies of itself and can also develop into specialized cell types, such as nerve, muscle or blood cells.

In Turkish: kök hücre

How it is used

Used in regenerative medicine, research and transplantation. The main types are embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are made by reprogramming adult cells. Researchers 'differentiate' stem cells into other cell types. A bone marrow transplant is a kind of stem cell therapy.

Example sentences

  1. We differentiated induced pluripotent stem cells into heart muscle cells.

  2. Stem cell transplants are used to treat some types of leukemia.

Common collocations

  • embryonic stem cell
  • induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)
  • stem cell therapy
  • stem cell transplant
  • differentiate stem cells
  • cell lineA population of cells that can keep dividing in culture for a long time, often indefinitely, and is used as a standard model in the lab.
  • gene therapyA medical treatment that adds, replaces, silences or corrects genetic material in a patient's cells to treat or prevent a disease.
  • germline editingChanging the DNA of eggs, sperm or early embryos, so that the change would be present in every cell of the resulting person and could be passed to future generations.
  • ethics committeeAn independent group of experts and lay members that reviews research involving people or animals to protect the participants' rights, safety and welfare.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Biotech Products and Bioprocessing

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