ScienceAugust 11, 2026

stemness

STEM-nes

Definition

The ability of a cell to self-renew and differentiate into various specialized cell types, or in this context, the quality that allows T cells to remain active, durable, and capable of long-term immune protection.

Etymology

Derived from the Old English 'stemn' (trunk of a tree) combined with the suffix '-ness' to denote a state or quality. In biology, it was adopted in the late 20th century to describe the foundational, regenerative characteristics of stem cells.

In the news

The article describes how the metabolite DHB promotes stemness in CD8+ T cells, preventing them from becoming exhausted and enabling them to effectively combat cancer tumors over time.

SKKU Researchers Develop World’s First Oral Microbiome-Based Nanomedicine to Supercharge Anti-Cancer Immunity

Read the full article ↗

Asia Research News |

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