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Stem cells are categorized based on their potency, which refers to the range of cell types when they differentiate. The specific term for stem cells that can only develop into one particular cell type is unipotent. These stem cells are committed to differentiating into a single lineage, which means they have a very limited developmental potential compared to other types of stem cells.

Unipotent stem cells play crucial roles in tissue maintenance and repair, as they continuously produce specific cells throughout an organism's life, such as skin cells or muscle cells. This specialized nature allows for precise functions within specific tissues.

By contrast, totipotent stem cells can develop into any cell type in the body, including those necessary for embryonic development, while pluripotent stem cells can give rise to almost all cell types but not the extraembryonic tissue. Multipotent stem cells can differentiate into multiple but limited cell types within a particular lineage. Understanding these differences is essential for fields such as regenerative medicine and developmental biology.