Proposed terminology: pluripotency, omnipotency and totipotency
| Definition | Examples |
| Pluripotency | Somatic (adult) stem cells |
| Potential to generate many, but not all, types of differentiated cells | |
| Omnipotency (by some authors referred to as totipotency) | Some embryonic stem cell lines (late passages?) |
| Potential to generate all types of differentiated cells, but not necessarily also including potential for self-organisation (gastrulation and basic body plan) | Some somatic/adult stem cells? |
| Totipotency | Zygote |
| Omnipotency plus potential for self-organisation (gastrulation, basic body plan and individuation) | Blastomeres Embryoblast (early) Some embryonic stem cell lines (early passages?) |