Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Dürr, Michael
• Müller, Albrecht M

Titel

Plasticity of somatic stem cells: dream or reality?

Ist Teil von

• Medizinische Klinik (München. 1983), 2003-12, Vol.98 Suppl 2, p.3-6

Ort / Verlag

Germany

Erscheinungsjahr

2003

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Common and defining properties of stem cells are their capacity for self-renewal and their potential for differentiation into multiple mature cell types. In contrast to embryonic stem cells, which are able to give rise to all cell types of the body, somatic stem cells have been regarded as being restricted in their differentiation potential. Recent studies support the idea that somatic stem cells from adult tissues can also contribute to heterologous tissues, i.e., transdifferentiate to unrelated cell types. These claims contradict the central dogma of the unidirectionality of differentiation processes. This review discusses the developmental potential of somatic stem cells in the light of recent findings.