B2.3.2—Properties of stem cells
Stem cells are unspecialized cells that self-renew by division and retain potency to form specialized cells for growth, repair, and therapy.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2025
- Objective
- B2.3.2
- Level
- SL
Exam analysis
Chance of appearing5%of analysed past papers
Latest appearanceNovember 2023
Most common paperPaper2
Typical marks1–3
Common command terms
- State
- Identify
- Describe
- Outline
Scoring notes
- Common mistake
- Calling stem cells already specialized rather than undifferentiated.
Recent exam appearances
November 2023Paper1 ["SL"] · TZ21[ 1 ]B2.3.2—Properties of stem cells
May 2022Paper2 ["SL"] · TZ16(a)[ 3 ]B2.3.2—Properties of stem cells
May 2022Paper2 ["SL"] · TZ22(c)[ 1 ]B2.3.2—Properties of stem cells
May 2022Paper2 ["SL"] · TZ22(a)[ 1 ]B2.3.2—Properties of stem cells
May 2013Paper1 ["SL"] · TZ22[ 1 ]B2.3.2—Properties of stem cells
Practice this objective
Coverage 2011–2023 · Updated 15 Jul 2026
Concept essentials
- Stem cells can divide while remaining undifferentiated.
- Stem cells can differentiate into specialized cell types.
- Therapeutic value comes from repair, replacement, research, and disease treatment potential.
- Embryonic stem cells usually have broader developmental potential than most adult stem cells.