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Which of the following statements hold true for pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) under in vitro conditions?
P. PSCs can be maintained in an undifferentiated state
Q. PSCs exhibit abnormal and unstable karyotypes
R. PSCs can differentiate into a wide variety of cell types
S. PSCs cannot be passaged continuously
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- P, Q
- P, R
- Q, R
- Q, S
Correct Option: B
In cell biology, pluripotency (from the Latin plurimus, meaning very many, and potens, meaning having power) refers to a stem cell that has the potential to differentiate into any of the three germ layers: endoderm (interior stomach lining, gastrointestinal tract, the lungs), mesoderm (muscle, bone, blood, urogenital), or ectoderm (epidermal tissues and nervous system). Pluripotent stem cells can give rise to any fetal or adult cell type. However, alone they cannot develop into a fetal or adult organism because they lack the potential to contribute to extraembryonic tissue, such as the placenta.
