Precursor cell
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| Precursor Cell | |
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| NeuroLex ID | sao467424240 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
In cell biology, a precursor cell, also called a blast cell or simply blast, is a type of partially differentiated, usually unipotent cell that has lost most or all of the stem cell multipotency. A precursor cell is also known as a progenitor cell. These cells are known as the intermediate cell before they become differentiated after being a stem cell[1].
Usually a precursor cell is a stem cell which has the capacity to differentiate into only one cell types. Sometimes precursor cell is used as an alternative term for unipotent stem cells.
A blastoma is a type of cancer created by malignancies of precursor cells.
In embryology, precursor cells are a group of cells that differentiate later into one organ.
Precursor cells, or Progenitor cells, have many potential uses in medicine. There is research being done to use these cells to build heart valves, blood vessels and other tissues, by using blood and muscle precursor, or progenitor cells[2].
Cytological types
- Oligodendrocyte precursor cell
- Myeloblast
- Thymocyte
- Meiocyte
- Megakaryoblast
- Promegakaryocyte
- Melanoblast
- Lymphoblast
- Bone marrow precursor cells
- Normoblast
- Angioblast (endothelial precursor cells)
- Myeloid precursor cells
References
- ^ "4. The Adult Stem Cell | stemcells.nih.gov". stemcells.nih.gov. Retrieved 2017-10-21.
- ^ "What are Progenitor Cells? | Boston Children's Hospital". stemcell.childrenshospital.org. Retrieved 2017-10-21.
External links
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