What term is used to refer to cells capable of creating, maintaining, and repairing specific organs or tissues?

Prepare for the IB Diploma Biology Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question offers hints and explanations. Get ready to ace your exam!

The term that refers to cells capable of creating, maintaining, and repairing specific organs or tissues is "multipotent." Multipotent stem cells are a type of stem cell that has the ability to develop into more than one cell type, but they are limited to certain lineages. For example, those in the bone marrow can give rise to various types of blood cells, while those in other tissues can generate specific cell types needed for that tissue.

This characteristic makes multipotent cells crucial for regeneration and healing processes within the body. They play essential roles in maintaining tissue homeostasis and responding to injury, thus facilitating repair and regeneration.

The other choices refer to different concepts. Morphogens are signaling molecules that guide the patterning and differentiation of cells during development. Motile cells are capable of movement, an attribute not specifically related to tissue creation and maintenance. Multicellular refers to organisms made up of multiple cells, but does not denote the function of the cells regarding tissue repair and maintenance.

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