I'm reading about embryonic germ cells from one of my course books. It says that EG cells should be able to turn into any cell. Then again, it seems to say it can turn into the three germ layers. However, from the way I'm interpreting this, it would appear that EG cells are pluripotent and not totipotent. So, I'm unsure as to whether or not consider them totipotent or pluripotent. Perhaps this is really a contextual issue?

 

The attached image has part of my text that I am discussing.

Note the term "pluripotent" and the phrase "...all the cell types..."

Edited September 19, 201015 yr by Genecks

Pluripotent is correct. See the part where it is equivalent to cells in the inner cell mass. These can't become placenta.

Pluripotent is correct. See the part where it is equivalent to cells in the inner cell mass. These can't become placenta.

 

So, perhaps by saying "all the cell types of the body" it was implying development post-placenta, so cells of an adult body?