Precursor cell

In cell biology, a precursor cell, also called a blast cell or simply blast, is a type of partially differentiated, usually unipotent cell that has lost most or all of the stem cell multipotency.

Usually a precursor cell is a stem cell which has the capacity to differentiate into only one cell types. Sometimes precursor cell is used as an alternative term for unipotent stem cells.

A blastoma is a type of cancer created by malignancies of precursor cells.

In embryology, precursor cells are a group of cells that differentiate later into one organ.

Cytological types

• Oligodendrocyte precursor cell
• Myeloblast
• Thymocyte
• Meiocyte
• Megakaryoblast
• Promegakaryocyte
• Melanoblast
• Lymphoblast
• Bone marrow precursor cells
• Normoblast
• Angioblast (endothelial precursor cells)
• Myeloid precursor cells

References

Precursor cell – Britannica Online Encyclopedia

External links

• NIF Search - Precursor Cell via the Neuroscience Information Framework