stem cell

noun

: an unspecialized cell that gives rise to differentiated cells

hematopoietic stem cells in bone marrow

Examples of stem cell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Last year, Peters spoke to PEOPLE about his journey to find a hopefully find a donor for a stem cell transplant after finding a lump in his neck before embarking on a U.S. tour with The Alarm. —Marina Watts, People.com, 29 Apr. 2025

Its goal is to reduce the price of stem cells by 90% over the next decade. —Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

The process has been well-studied by this point and involves the formation of a cluster of stem cells, called a blastema, at the site of damage. —John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025

Studer's team, for example, began looking at stem cells to treat brain diseases more than 25 years ago. —Jon Hamilton, NPR, 17 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stem cell

• barbell
• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• cartel
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel

Kids Definition

stem cell

noun

: a simple cell that can become a cell (as a blood cell or skin cell) with a special function

Medical Definition

stem cell

noun

ˈstem- 

: an unspecialized cell capable of perpetuating itself through cell division and having the potential to give rise to differentiated cells with specialized functions

Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent cells derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst stage of the embryo.

—Carrie J. Merkle, in Essentials of Pathophysiology

… picture the bone marrow as a blood cell factory that takes a single type of precursor cell, or stem cell, and modifies it in various ways to produce all the cells that circulate in the blood.

—Gina Kolata, Discover

Recent observations are providing increasing evidence for the concept that adult stem cells are part of a natural system for tissue repair.

—Darwin J. Prockop, in Essentials of Stem Cell Biology