Which type of stem cells can proliferate indefinitely in culture while retaining developmental potential?

Embryonic stem cells are unique in their ability to proliferate indefinitely in culture while retaining their pluripotency, which means they can give rise to all cell types of the body. This characteristic sets them apart from other types of stem cells. In laboratory conditions, embryonic stem cells can maintain their undifferentiated state over extended periods, allowing researchers to study their properties and potential applications in regenerative medicine.

While germ cells and somatic cells have important roles in the organism, they do not possess the same indefinite proliferative capacity in culture as embryonic stem cells. Germ cells can differentiate into gametes, but they do not maintain the broad developmental potential that embryonic stem cells do. Somatic cells are differentiated and typically have limited cell division capacity. Proliferating precursor cells can divide, but they are usually committed to specific lineages and therefore lack the extensive developmental potential of embryonic stem cells.

Thus, the ability of embryonic stem cells to both proliferate indefinitely and maintain their capacity to differentiate into various cell types positions them as an essential focus in developmental biology and therapeutic research.