A Level Biology Practice Exam

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What type of cells can a multipotent stem cell differentiate into?

Any human cell type
Only muscle cells
Various cell types within a specific tissue type
Only blood cells

The correct answer is: Various cell types within a specific tissue type

Multipotent stem cells are characterized by their ability to differentiate into a limited range of cell types, typically those that are related to a specific tissue or organ. This means that a multipotent stem cell can develop into various cell types, but these cell types will generally belong to a particular lineage or tissue type. For example, hematopoietic stem cells, which are a type of multipotent stem cell, can give rise to various types of blood cells such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This ability to differentiate into multiple, but limited, cell types makes multipotent stem cells distinct from pluripotent stem cells, which can form nearly any cell type in the body, or totipotent stem cells, which can develop into a complete organism. Therefore, multipotent stem cells serve a vital role in tissue maintenance and repair by ensuring that the specific cell types required for a particular tissue are produced when necessary.