What type of stem cells are known for intermediate potency, being able to differentiate into multiple but not all cell types?

Multipotent stem cells are indeed characterized by their ability to differentiate into multiple, but not all, cell types. This intermediate potency allows multipotent stem cells to give rise to a limited range of cells within a specific lineage or tissue type. For instance, hematopoietic stem cells are multipotent as they can develop into various types of blood cells, but they are restricted to that specific category and cannot form cells from other lineages, such as neurons or muscle cells.

In contrast, pluripotent stem cells can differentiate into nearly all cell types, including those from the three germ layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. Unipotent stem cells have the capacity to give rise to only one cell type, and totipotent stem cells can differentiate into any cell type, including extraembryonic tissues. Hence, the defining feature of multipotent stem cells is their specialized, yet limited, developmental potential.