pluripotency
noun
plu·ri·po·ten·cy
ˌplu̇r-ə-ˈpō-tᵊn-sē 
: the property or state of being pluripotent
Just like embryonic stem cells, these reprogrammed cells seemed capable of becoming any of the 200-plus cell types in the human body, an ability called pluripotency …—
Patrick Barry
Patrick Barry… pluripotency has long been the elusive core of germinal development that, if properly controlled, could lead to organ and tissue regeneration in humans.—Kitchener D. Wilson and Joseph C. Wu
Kitchener D. Wilson and Joseph C. WuExamples of pluripotency in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Embryonic stem cells have the ability to give rise to all kinds of different cell types that make up organisms—a quality that scientists call pluripotency.
—Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 6 Mar. 2024
Wu says that for him, the key value of the study comes in proving out the high pluripotency of the stem cells that scientists use in the lab.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2023
This process endows them with pluripotency, or the ability to become any type of cell, including neural stem cells.
—Linda Marsa, Discover Magazine, 2 Jan. 2019
It was long assumed that when these embryonic cells lose their pluripotency, that versatility is gone forever.
—Philip Ball, Scientific American, 18 Apr. 2023
Reversely, genes related to pluripotency, or a cell’s capacity to branch out into many different types of cells or tissues in the body, went the other way.
—Stav Dimitropoulos, Popular Mechanics, 6 Apr. 2023
But this ability, known as pluripotency, is hard won.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 28 Aug. 2011
Copy number variation and selection during reprogramming to pluripotency.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 2 Mar. 2011
The pluripotency genes then returned to dormancy when the process was complete.
—Veronique Greenwood, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Sep. 2022
Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 6 Mar. 2024
Wu says that for him, the key value of the study comes in proving out the high pluripotency of the stem cells that scientists use in the lab.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2023
This process endows them with pluripotency, or the ability to become any type of cell, including neural stem cells.
—Linda Marsa, Discover Magazine, 2 Jan. 2019
It was long assumed that when these embryonic cells lose their pluripotency, that versatility is gone forever.
—Philip Ball, Scientific American, 18 Apr. 2023
Reversely, genes related to pluripotency, or a cell’s capacity to branch out into many different types of cells or tissues in the body, went the other way.
—Stav Dimitropoulos, Popular Mechanics, 6 Apr. 2023
But this ability, known as pluripotency, is hard won.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 28 Aug. 2011
Copy number variation and selection during reprogramming to pluripotency.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 2 Mar. 2011
The pluripotency genes then returned to dormancy when the process was complete.
—Veronique Greenwood, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Sep. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pluripotency.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pluripotency
Cite this Entry
“Pluripotency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pluripotency. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
pluripotency
noun
plu·ri·po·ten·cy
ˌplu̇r-ə-ˈpōt-ᵊn-sē
plural pluripotencies
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