cell biology Cell biology (also cellular biology or cytology) is a branch of biology that studies the structure, function, and behavior of cells. All living organisms are made of cells. A cell is the basic unit of life that is responsible for the living and ...

, a precursor cell, also called a blast cell or simply blast, is a partially differentiated cell, usually referred to as a unipotent cell that has lost most of its

stem cell In multicellular organisms, stem cells are undifferentiated or partially differentiated cells that can differentiate into various types of cells and proliferate indefinitely to produce more of the same stem cell. They are the earliest type o ...

properties. A precursor cell is also known as a progenitor cell but progenitor cells are multipotent. Precursor cells are known as the intermediate cell before they become differentiated after being a stem cell. Usually, a precursor cell is a stem cell with the capacity to differentiate into only one cell type. Sometimes, ''precursor cell'' is used as an alternative term for unipotent stem cells. In embryology, precursor cells are a group of cells that later differentiate into one organ. A blastoma is any cancer created by malignancies of precursor cells. Precursor cells, and progenitor cells, have many potential uses in medicine. , there is research being done to use these cells to build heart valves, blood vessels and other tissues, by using blood and muscle precursor, or progenitor cells.

Cytological types

* Oligodendrocyte precursor cell *

Myeloblast The myeloblast is a unipotent stem cell which differentiates into the effectors of the granulocyte series. It is found in the bone marrow. Stimulation of myeloblasts by G-CSF and other cytokines triggers maturation, differentiation, proliferation a ...

* Thymocyte *

Meiocyte A meiocyte is a type of cell that differentiates into a gamete through the process of meiosis. Through meiosis, the diploid meiocyte divides into four genetically different haploid gametes.Libeau, P., Durandet, M., Granier, F., Marquis, C., Bert ...

Megakaryoblast A megakaryoblast is a precursor cell to a promegakaryocyte, which in turn becomes a megakaryocyte during haematopoiesis. It is the beginning of the thrombocytic series. Development The megakaryoblast derives from a CFU-Meg colony unit of pluripote ...

Promegakaryocyte A promegakaryocyte is a precursor cell for a megakaryocyte. It arises from a megakaryoblast, into a promegakaryocyte and then into a megakaryocyte, which will eventually break off and become a platelet. The developmental stages of the megakaryocy ...

* Melanoblast * Lymphoblast *

Bone marrow Bone marrow is a semi-solid tissue found within the spongy (also known as cancellous) portions of bones. In birds and mammals, bone marrow is the primary site of new blood cell production (or haematopoiesis). It is composed of hematopoietic ce ...

precursor cells * Normoblast *

Angioblast Angioblasts (or vasoformative cells) are embryonic cells from which the endothelium of blood vessels arises. They are derived from embryonic mesoderm. Blood vessels first make their appearance in several scattered vascular areas that are developed ...

( endothelial precursor cells) *

Myeloid Myeloid tissue, in the bone marrow sense of the word '' myeloid'' ('' myelo-'' + ''-oid''), is tissue of bone marrow, of bone marrow cell lineage, or resembling bone marrow, and myelogenous tissue (''myelo-'' + '' -genous'') is any tissue of, ...

precursor cells * Plasmablast

References

Citations

Sources

Precursor cell – Britannica Online Encyclopedia

External links

NIF Search - Precursor Cell
via the Neuroscience Information Framework Cell biology Stem cells {{Cell-biology-stub