Britannica Sources used in this answer

How does asymmetric cell division maintain a population of stem cells?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Diagram showing the locations of neural stem cells in brain regions such as the hippocampus and ventricles, and hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow and blood, with labeled illustrations of the brain, spinal cord, circulatory system, and skeleton. — stem cell Stem cells of neural and hematopoietic origin have tremendous potential in the development of therapies for certain diseases, such as diabetes and Parkinson disease. Neural stem cells occur in the spinal cord and in specific regions of the brain, and hematopoietic stem cells occur in the blood and bone marrow.

Asymmetric cell division is a fundamental mechanism that allows stem cells to maintain their population while simultaneously providing a source of new cells for tissue development and repair.1

During this process, a single stem cell undergoes cell division to produce two distinct daughter cells:1

Self-renewal: One daughter cell retains the characteristics of the original stem cell, effectively rejoining the stem cell population to ensure its long-term maintenance.1
Differentiation: The second daughter cell is targeted for specialization, becoming a progenitor cell (or transit-amplifying cell). This cell then undergoes further divisions, becoming increasingly specialized until it reaches a terminally differentiated state to perform specific functions within the organism.1

By balancing these two outcomes, the body ensures that the pool of stem cells is not depleted, even as it continuously replaces or repairs tissues such as skin and blood.12