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A pluripotent cell is an undifferentiated cell that has the potential to develop into many different cell types within the body. This means it can give rise to any cell type of the adult organism.1

Key characteristics of pluripotent cells include:
* Self-renewal: They can divide to produce more stem cells.12
* Differentiation: They can develop into specialized cells, such as muscle, nerve, or blood cells.12

Embryonic stem cells are a primary example of pluripotent cells, derived from early-stage embryos. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) are another type, created by reprogramming adult cells back into a stem-cell-like state. This reprogramming process avoids the ethical concerns associated with using embryos.13

The ability of pluripotent cells to generate various cell types makes them crucial for growth and repair in organisms and holds significant promise for regenerative medicine and disease treatment.12

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