stem cell

Stem cells are primal cells found in all multi-cellular organisms. They retain the ability to renew themselves through mitotic cell division and can differentiate into a diverse range of specialized cell types. Research in the human stem cell field grew out of findings by Canadian scientists Ernest A. McCulloch and James E. Till in the 1960s.
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Noun
1. an undifferentiated cell whose daughter cells may differentiate into other cell types (such as blood cells)
(hypernym) somatic cell, vegetative cell
(hyponym) hematopoeitic stem cell

A cell from which other types of cells develop. Blood cells develop from blood-forming stem cells.

Precursor cell in various systems which is capable of producing the various functional cells of that system by cell division and differentiation, e.g., stem cells which differentiate into lymphocytes.

an undifferentiated cell that can divide to form specialized cells; pluripotent stem cells can differentiate into many different cell types.