Hello all!

I haven´t posted for some time. I guess that is why my nick was cancelled. Anyways I created a new one. Lol

My question is regarding stem cells:

What is the difference between 'self-renewal' and 'proliferation'?
Is it possible to distinguish experimentaly self-renewal and proliferation? The assays that are performed in the literature (spheres cultures, serial passages of cells in animals) prove that cells have proliferation ability or self-renewal?

Thanks guys,
BioPe.

Very briefly, self-renewal leaves the number of cells roughly the same, where proliferation increases the number of cells.

Welcome back to the forum. What was your original nickname?

Thanks Swanny!

I suppose assimetric self-renewal leves the number of cells unchanged but what about simetric self-renewal, in which 1 stem cell gives rise to two stem cells? Shouldn't this expand the population of cells? I am confused...

My old nickname was BioPe, just like the one I created.
I think I haven't posted anything since last Christmas. I don´t know why I could not login. LOL