stem cell

noun

: an unspecialized cell that gives rise to differentiated cells

hematopoietic stem cells in bone marrow

Examples of stem cell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The companies are seeking approval to treat patients with an ultra-rare and fatal type of blood cancer that can develop in people who have received a stem cell or solid organ transplant. — Elaine Chen, STAT, 30 Sep. 2026

Scandinavian Biolabs Bio-Pilixin® hairline booster A six-ball rollerball filled with plant exosomes and stem cells that targets hair loss at the corners and temples, with zero mess nor stickiness. — Anita Bhagwandas, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026

As a result, the team got to work and became the first to turn pluripotent stem cells into hindbrain motor neurons in a lab. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 24 Sep. 2026

The discovery explains why attempts in the past to develop hindbrain neurons from ectoderm stem cells failed – those cells had already been locked in as forebrain or midbrain neurons. — Mike McRae 21, New Atlas, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stem cell

• barbell
• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• cartel
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel

Kids Definition

stem cell

noun

: a simple cell that can become a cell (as a blood cell or skin cell) with a special function

Medical Definition

stem cell

noun

ˈstem- 

: an unspecialized cell capable of perpetuating itself through cell division and having the potential to give rise to differentiated cells with specialized functions

Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent cells derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst stage of the embryo.

—Carrie J. Merkle, in Essentials of Pathophysiology

… picture the bone marrow as a blood cell factory that takes a single type of precursor cell, or stem cell, and modifies it in various ways to produce all the cells that circulate in the blood.

—Gina Kolata, Discover

Recent observations are providing increasing evidence for the concept that adult stem cells are part of a natural system for tissue repair.

—Darwin J. Prockop, in Essentials of Stem Cell Biology