Which characteristic is true of pluripotent cells?

Pluripotent cells are unique in that they possess the ability to differentiate into all three primary germ layers: endoderm, ectoderm, and mesoderm. This characteristic is fundamental to their role in development, as these germ layers give rise to all the various tissues and organs in the body. For instance, endoderm can form the lining of the gastrointestinal tract and organs such as the liver and pancreas, whereas ectoderm forms structures like skin and the nervous system, and mesoderm contributes to muscle, bone, and other connective tissues.

While pluripotent cells can form multiple cell types, the key defining feature that sets them apart from other types of stem cells, such as multipotent cells (which can differentiate into limited cell types within a specific lineage), is their capacity to go on and contribute to all three germ layers. This distinguishes them in the hierarchy of stem cell potency.

The ability to form an entire organism or cells from a single lineage pertains more to totipotent cells and lineage-restricted stem cells, respectively, thus not representing the defining characteristics of pluripotent cells.