Difference Between Stem Cells and Differentiated Cells

Key Difference – Stem Cells vs Differentiated Cells
 

Multicellular organisms are developed through different development processes. The basis for development is the diploid (2n) zygote that is produced through fertilization. The zygote continues to divide and differentiate.  Stem cells are undifferentiated biological cells that are not specialized for any particular function but have the ability to differentiate into specialized cells while differentiated cells are the type of cells that have been subjected to unique epigenetic modifications and have special functions within the body. This is the key difference between stem cells and differentiated cells.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Stem Cells
3. What are Differentiated Cells
4. Similarities Between Stem Cells and Differentiated Cells
5. Side by Side Comparison – Stem Cells vs Differentiated Cells in Tabular Form
6. Summary

What are Stem Cells?

Stem cells can be defined as undifferentiated biological cells that are not specialized for any particular function. Stem cells have the ability to differentiate into specialized cells and also to give rise to more stem cells through mitosis. Stem cells are usually found in multi-cellular organisms. They possess the ability to develop into a number of cell types during the early life as well as during the growth of the body. Therefore, during the division of stem cells, it can either become another specialized cell type or remain as a stem cell.

There are two unique characteristics of stem cells that help to distinguish from other cells. Firstly they are unspecialized cells that are able to renew themselves via cell division even after a certain time period of inactivity. For example, in organs such as bone marrow, there is a regular division of stem cells to repair and replace damaged tissues. And secondly, they have the ability to develop into tissues or organ-specific cells. Stem cells divide under specialized conditions in organs such as heart, etc.

The stem cells have several differentiation potentials. They can be categorized as totipotent, pluripotent and multipotent. Totipotent stem cells are capable of differentiating into embryonic cell types. Such cells are produced through the fusion of egg and sperm. Thus, viable organisms can be produced. Pluripotent stem cells are produced from totipotent cells and are capable of differentiating into almost every type of cell, and they are derived from the three germ layers. Multipotent stem cells are able to differentiate into a number of cells of the same family.

Two types of stem cells are used for studies at present, and they are embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells/somatic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are the cells that are present in the blastocyst and in the embryo of 3 to 5 days post-fertilization. They are pluripotent, and therefore, all the derivatives of the three germ layers are developed through embryonic stem cells. Adult or somatic stem cells are the stem cells that repair and maintain damaged tissues. Most adult stem cells are multipotent while pluripotent stem cells are rarely found. Bone marrow is an example of adult stem cells that are used for several treatments.

What are Differentiated Cells?

Differentiated cells are a type of cells that have been subjected to unique epigenetic modifications depending on the tissue and in response to environmental and development stimuli. In the aspect of cellular differentiation, it is a process by which the least specialized cells are converted to a state of more specialized cell types. Cellular differentiation is considered as a major aspect of developmental biology. Through cell differentiation, different tissues in the body are provided with different types of cells. Cell differentiation is triggered by the onset of development of a multicellular organism. Through fertilization, a female gamete is fused with a male gamete that will result in the formation of a zygote that is in diploid (2n) stage.

The zygote is the primary source of cell differentiation. Here, most complex tissues of the body are developed through cell differentiation. Unlike stem cells, which are undifferentiated, differentiated cells have a more effective function within the body. The connection between stem cells and differentiated cells is that differentiated cells are produced through the division of stem cells into fully differentiated daughter cells. This mainly occurs in adults as a common process during tissue repair procedures and normal cell turnover.

Differentiated cells are produced in such aspect where the size and the shape of the undifferentiated cells are altered. Also, cell differentiation causes changes in metabolic activity and the response to stimuli.  Cell differentiation does not cause a change in the DNA sequence. But it is important to mention that cell differentiation has the ability to cause switching off genes that are not necessary for a particular tissue.

What are the Similarities Between Stem Cells and Differentiated Cells?

• Both Stem Cells and Differentiated Cells are present in the development process of a multicellular organism.
• Stem cells are differentiated into different specialized cells.

What is the Difference Between Stem Cells and Differentiated Cells?

Summary – Stem Cells vs Differentiated Cells

Through fertilization, a female gamete is fused with a male gamete that will result in the formation of a zygote that is diploid (2n). The zygote divides continuously in the development stage of a multicellular organism. Stem cells can be defined as undifferentiated biological cells that are not specialized for a particular function. But they have the ability to differentiate into specialized cells or give rise to more stem cells through mitosis. Two types of stem cells are used for studies at present, and they are known as embryonic stem cells and adult/somatic stem cells. Differentiated cells are the type of cells that have been subjected to unique epigenetic modifications depending on the tissue and in response to environmental and development stimuli. Differentiated cells have a more important function than stem cells. This is the difference between stem cells and differentiated cells.

Reference:

1.“Cell Differentiation and Tissue.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group. Available here 
2.Team, The MNT Editorial. “What Are Stem Cells?” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 19 July 2017. Available here 

Image Courtesy:

1.’422 Feature Stem Cell new’By OpenStax College – Anatomy & Physiology, Connexions Web site, Jun 19, 2013., (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia  
2.’Stemcellstimulate’By US gov, (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia