Some differentiated cells become senescent almost immediately, leaving the cell cycle and undergoing terminal differentiation. Other cells have a high need to proliferate in order to grow and repair the organ or tissue, so they do not enter senescence for a long period of time. Which cell type would be most likely to put off senescence and terminal differentiation so it could continue to replicate in order to grow and repair?
The cell type that is most likely to put off senescence and terminal differentiation in order to continue replicating for growth and repair is a stem cell. Stem cells have the unique ability to self-renew and differentiate into various cell types, making them essential for tissue maintenance, growth, and repair. Unlike other differentiated cells, stem cells can continuously divide and generate more identical stem cells, replenishing the pool of undifferentiated cells while also giving rise to specialized cells as needed. Therefore, stem cells play a crucial role in maintaining tissue homeostasis and ensuring ongoing repair processes.
