Which statement is true regarding stem cells?

Stem cells are characterized by their ability to self-renew and divide for the lifetime of the organism. This unique property allows them to maintain a pool of undifferentiated cells while also producing differentiated cell types as needed for growth, repair, and tissue maintenance. The self-renewal capacity is a critical feature that distinguishes stem cells from other cell types in the body, allowing for ongoing replenishment of specialized cells without depleting the stem cell population.

Regarding the other choices, while totipotent cells can indeed give rise to all cell types, not all stem cells exhibit this level of potency. Adult stem cells, for example, are typically multipotent and can only differentiate into a limited range of cell types. Furthermore, stem cells are not usually present in large numbers in tissues, particularly in adult tissues, where they may be sparse but strategically located. Lastly, terminally differentiated cells have completed their specialization and can no longer divide or return to a stem cell state, which is contrary to the nature of stem cells.