A stem cell can divide to produce 2 identical copies of itself, which is called self-renewal. Then what is proliferation in terms of stem cells. Or is this term 'proliferation' applicable to stem cells. Can we refer to the asymmetric division of stem cells as proliferation?
In the spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) cycle, even though different types of cells are formed in each stage, only the initial few stages (As-Aal) are called self-renewal, and the latter stages (A1-A4) are called differentiation, but all A-type spermatogonia are said to maintain stemness activity.
Hello Tomcy Tomy Anjilikal,
Proliferation is when a cell multiplies but does not change its cell type. Proliferation, unlike self-renewal, does not require either daughter cell to be a stem cell or to retain the ability to give rise to a differentiated progeny.
On the other hand, self-renewal is a kind of cell division specific to stem cells. Stem cell self-renewal can be maintained by two proliferation mechanisms:
1. Asymmetric self-renewal in which a stem cell divides into one differentiated cell and one stem cell and
2. Symmetric self-renewal in which a stem cell divides into two equivalent stem cells.
Asymmetric self-renewal is thought to be sufficient to meet the demands of normal cell turnover under homeostatic conditions, but symmetric self-renewal is presumably necessary to yield an expansion of the stem cell pool under demands resulting from injury or disease.
So, self-renewal is the specific cellular action that involves proliferation accompanied by maintenance of both multipotency and tissue regenerative potential.
Best.
Proliferation is when a cell multiplies but does not change its cell type. Self renewal is the process of a stem cell dividing to produce at least one copy of itself.
Stem cells should have the potential to self-renew and the capacity to differentiate into mature cell types. There are several types of stem cells: totipotent, pluripotent, multipotent, and unipotent stem cells.Their features are: self-renewal and differentiation potential. However, unipotent stem cells have lower differentiation potential compared to totipotent, pluripotent, and multipotent stem cells.
Malcolm Nobre Thanks. So, the HSC division(asymmetric or symmetric self-renewal division) takes precedence over differentiation?
they are independent of dependent process?
Justyna Augustyniak Hi, thanks for your answer. It is still unclear about the Chronological Order of hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal, differentiation, and proliferation. What is your opinion? thanks.