Definition of totipotent in English:
totipotent
adjective təʊˈtɪpət(ə)nttōˈtipədənt
Biology (of an immature or stem cell) capable of giving rise to any cell type or (of a blastomere) a complete embryo.
totipotent embryo cells can differentiate into a hundred different cell types specialized to form such tissues as skin, marrow, and muscle
Example sentencesExamples
- In the early stages after fertilization - immediately after a sperm and egg join together and begin dividing - stem cells are considered totipotent.
- What he showed next were a series of experiments in which they pushed cultured, totipotent mouse embryonic stem cells to desired neural fates using the various factors he had identified as significant in vivo.
- Here, human or mouse embryonic stem cells, in vitro representatives of the totipotent inner cell mass blastomeres, are placed into culture.
- For the first few divisions, up to at least the 8-cell stage, all the cells of the tiny embryo are totipotent stem cells.
- Thus, unlike totipotent single-cell embryos, pluripotent embryonic stem cells are specialized cells that have limited developmental capabilities.
Derivatives
noun
Biology Likewise, somatic cell totipotency is demonstrated by the ability of plant cells to develop into a complete and fertile plant by in vitro somatic embryogenesis and/or organogenesis.
Example sentencesExamples
- This phenomenon is due to the totipotency of plant cells when they are not highly differentiated.
- Somatic embryogenesis is an example of totipotency and is used as a model system for studying embryogenesis.
- This suggests that, unlike the differentiated cells of adult animals, some differentiated cells of the adult plant may retain totipotency.
- He said that the demonstration of genetic totipotency of cells after prolonged culture is pivotal to combining site specific genetic manipulations and cloning.
Origin
Early 20th century: from Latin totus 'whole' + potent1.