Totipotent means what?

• A. A cell that can only become a neuron.
• B. A cell that cannot differentiate.
• C. A cell that is able to bring a cell to turn into any type of cell.
• D. A cell that can only become a muscle cell.

Answer: (C)

Totipotent describes a cell with the highest developmental potential: it can form all cell types of the organism, including the tissues that support growth such as the placenta. The statement that a cell can become any type of cell matches this broad capability exactly, so it’s the best answer. In early development, cells are totipotent (the fertilized egg and the very early divisions). As development continues, cells become pluripotent (many but not all cell types) and then multipotent or unipotent, with progressively more limited fates. The other descriptions describe much more specialized or non-differentiating states, which do not capture the full versatility of totipotent cells.