Cell potency, stem cells and other animal cells, a question on terminology...

[anotherfilthyape]

I understand that stem cells have different degrees of cell potency... But I do not understand this; What is the name for an animal cell without any potency? I mean... What is the name for an animal cell that isnt a stem cell? There must be a name for that... I mean... they behave differently, they do not transform into new cells, they just continue as the cells they are and maybe split into more cells like the ones they are but their structure does not changes... So... Any answers please? Wikipedia doesn'ts gives all the answers!

[CharonY]

All cells are categorized according to their their differentiated state. Examples include neurons, myocytes, hepatocytes etc. and can often be subdivided according to specific functions.

[dmaiski]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_potency wikipedia and google

 

simply put it goes

toti-

pluri-

multi-

oligo-

uni- this is the one you are looking for, it only produces more of itself

-potent cell

 

another option is that what you are looking for are cells that are in the terminal differentiation (ie they are the last in the line and can not reproduce any more

 

also you can call cells that are not stem cells "cells" or "normal cells"

[anotherfilthyape]

All cells are categorized according to their their differentiated state. Examples include neurons, myocytes, hepatocytes etc. and can often be subdivided according to specific functions.

 

I guess then I could call them "differentiated cells"?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_potency wikipedia and google

 

simply put it goes

 

 

toti-

pluri-

multi-

oligo-

uni- this is the one you are looking for, it only produces more of itself

-potent cell

 

another option is that what you are looking for are cells that are in the terminal differentiation (ie they are the last in the line and can not reproduce any more

 

also you can call cells that are not stem cells "cells" or "normal cells"

 

Thanks for that but I saw it in wikipedia too and it claims unipotent cells are just hypothetical and that they are kinda like decayed multipotent cells, they still qualify as stem cells... I guess "differentiated cells" would be the proper term then... Since you agree on the fact that this involves "terminal differentation" or, in less words "differentiation"...

[CharonY]

Differentiated cells could be used in cases where you want to distinguish them from pluri- or totipotent cells (pluripotent cells are not fully differentiated, but more limited in what they can become than totipoten cells). In almost all other cases you would designate the cells according to what type of cells they are (which can be more or less specific, depending on context).

[anotherfilthyape]

Differentiated cells could be used in cases where you want to distinguish them from pluri- or totipotent cells (pluripotent cells are not fully differentiated, but more limited in what they can become than totipoten cells). In almost all other cases you would designate the cells according to what type of cells they are (which can be more or less specific, depending on context).

 

Yes I think that would work... What I wanted with this term is describe a fictional character who can transform a subhistic level, but not at a subcellular level, into a limited set of inorganic substances and in this form transform into organic form again but for an instant when going from inorganic to organic she would be a mass of totipotent cells... So I had to make it clear that thereafter she would no longer had permanent shapeshifting power... I write science fantasy (to put it simply) and I like to stick to science as much as I can (if I am gonna take an unscientific route I want to know I am doing so)