Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026
07:43
A Naturalistic Setup for Presenting Real People and Live Actions in Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience Studies
Published on: August 4, 2023
On experimental design and discourse in plasticity research.
1Department of Pathology and Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10003, USA. ntheise@chpnet.org
Stem Cell Reviews
|November 30, 2006
Summary
Stem cell plasticity is model- and species-dependent, encompassing four pathways. Understanding these pathways requires standardized terminology and consideration of experimental variables for accurate interpretation.
Area of Science:
- Stem Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Cellular Reprogramming
Background:
- The term "plasticity" in stem cell research lacks a unified definition, leading to confusion.
- Observed plasticity phenomena are often model- and species-specific, complicating interpretation.
- Existing controversies may stem from experimental variability and non-scientific factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clarify the concept of cell plasticity in stem cell biology.
- To delineate the recognized pathways of cell plasticity.
- To highlight critical experimental variables influencing plasticity research.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and conceptual analysis of stem cell plasticity.
- Categorization of identified cell plasticity pathways.
- Identification and discussion of key experimental variables and their impact.
Main Results:
- Four distinct pathways of cell plasticity have been identified: facultative intraorgan stem cells, reversion to a blastema-like state, direct lineage conversion, and cell-cell fusion.
- Differentiation is understood as a complex gene expression process.
- Experimental variables such as donor age, cell isolation techniques, and transgenic marker effects significantly influence plasticity outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Standardized terminology for stem cell plasticity is crucial for effective communication.
- Recognizing plasticity pathways as potentially normative, rather than unexpected, may refine the term's utility.
- Careful control of experimental variables is essential for reproducible and interpretable stem cell plasticity research.
Related Concept Videos
00:58Plasticity
Plasticity is the property where an object loses its elasticity and undergoes irreversible deformation, even after the deformation forces are eliminated. If a material deforms irreversibly without increasing stress or load, then this is called ideal plasticity. For example, when a force is applied to an aluminum rod, it changes its shape, but it does not return to its original shape once the force is removed. Plastic deformation or ductility is thus a permanent deformation or change in the...
01:19Plastic Deformations
Plastic deformation represents a fundamental concept in materials science, which explains the irreversible change in the shape of a material when it experiences stress beyond its elastic capability. This phenomenon is important in structural engineering, especially in designing and analyzing cantilever beams—structures that are securely fixed at one end and bear loads at the opposite end. When these beams are subjected to loads within their elastic range, they will return to their original...
01:14Plastic Deformations
It is essential to understand how structural members behave under plastic deformation when the bending stress exceeds the material's yield strength. This state of deformation permanently alters the shape of the member, in contrast to the linear elastic behavior observed before yielding. The strain at any point in the member is expressed in terms of maximum strain. Notably, the neutral axis, which coincides with the centroid during elastic bending, shifts away from the centroid under plastic...
01:16Experimental Designs
An experimental design is a systematic process that allows researchers to evaluate the relationship between dependent and independent variables. There are three widely used types of experimental design - pre-experimental design, true experimental design, and quasi-experimental design. In pre-experimental design, the researcher compares the data before and after some interventions or treatments. The true-experimental design has more than one purposefully created group, a commonly measured...
01:21Plastic Behavior
A material's elastic behavior is characterized by the disappearance of stress once the load is removed, allowing the material to return to its original state. However, when stress surpasses the yield point, yielding commences, marking the onset of plastic deformation or permanent set. This change from elastic to plastic behavior is influenced by the peak stress value and the duration before the load is removed. An intriguing observation occurs when a specimen is loaded, unloaded, and reloaded.
01:01Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity reflects the brain's remarkable capacity to adapt and evolve, responding dynamically to learning, experiences, or injury by reorganizing its neural circuitry. This reorganization involves creating new neural connections and refining old ones through a series of biological processes that contribute to the brain's lifelong development and adaptability.