What are stem cells?

Stem cells are described as undifferentiated cells that have the unique ability to develop into various cell types. This means they have not yet specialized into a specific function, which allows them to transform into many different types of cells, such as muscle cells, nerve cells, or blood cells, depending on the needs of the body.

This characteristic is vital in development, healing, and tissue regeneration. When stem cells divide, they can either produce identical stem cells (self-renewal) or differentiate into specialized cells that perform specific functions. Their capability of differentiation is essential in the fields of regenerative medicine and therapeutic applications, as they can potentially treat various diseases and injuries by generating specific cell types that may be lost or damaged.

The other options do not accurately define stem cells: specialized cells refer to cells that have already taken on a specific role, fully developed cells are not capable of further differentiation, and dead cells lack any function altogether, which is not applicable to stem cells.