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

His center also regulates gene therapies, stem cells, and the U.S. blood supply. —Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2025

Introduction Contributing Writer March 21, 2025 biology cancer cells development developmental biology DNA epigenetics gene regulation metabolism mitochondria stem cells All topics (opens a new tab) ach of us starts life as a single cell. —Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025

There’s a virtually unlimited supply of stem cells that could be scaled up for such a commercial effort. —Juergen Eckhardt, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025

What’s more, it’s infused with organic jojoba oil to tone the skin, and raspberry stem cells to rejuvenate it. —Jenny Berg, Vogue, 18 Mar. 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