[Towards a molecular rather than a descriptive definition of stemness]

Stem cells are a non-coherent group of cells that have little in common. Despite the fact that these diverse cell types are regarded as belonging to the same category, they do not share molecular markers. The definition of stemness is therefore descriptive, relating to potentials of the cells rather than to the actual properties that they harbor. This situation is confusing and causes unnecessary debates in this field of research. It is therefore of paramount importance to find a new, molecular definition of stemness, that would consist of the cellular machineries which constitute the stem cell state.