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Cheatography

Complex Cell Types and Naming Cheat Sheet (DRAFT) by

This cheat sheet is quick reference guide to many of the different cell types in the human body summarized in a single page. Hope this helps for anyone new to the field! The NIH Nation Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer terms is a great resource.

This is a draft cheat sheet. It is a work in progress and is not finished yet.

There are over 200 Cell Types!

Not all cell types will be covered here, but this should give a decent overview for the key ones in a single page.

Cell Type Suffixes (end of word)

-blast
builds or deposits the surrou­nding enviro­nment
-clast
destroys the matrix surrou­nding the cell
-cyte
maintain the surrou­nding enviro­nment
-genitor
produces cells; undiff­ere­ntiated cell that will develop into the specified cell type
-phils
"­lov­ing­"/ wants to attack
**Does not go will all prefixes!

Some Cell Prefixes (Beginning of Word)

Astro-
star-s­haped cell that holds neurons
Aden-
gland
Adipo-
fat
Cardio-
heart
Chondro-
cartilage
Erythro-
red blood
Fibro-
connective tissue; extrac­ellular matrix
Hemo-
blood
Hepato-
liver
Keratin-
Produce keratin in the skin
Leuko-
white blood
Lipo-
fat
Lymph-
white blood/­immune
Melano-
melanin producing in the skin
Myo-
muscle
Oligod­endro-
myelin sheath depositing around axons
Osteo-
bone
NOTE Not an exhaustive list and they may not match with the suffixes. Use this as a quick reference when reading
 

Stem Cells

Allogeneic
Single cell stock or source expanded to be given to many patients
Autologous
Derived from the patient and given to the same patient
Embryonic
Derived from the human embryos, plurip­otent
Hemato­poetic
Stem cells that can differ­entiate into red blood cell, white blood cells, or platelets, but nothing else
Induced Plurip­otent Stem Cells (iPSC)
engineered in the lab by converting tissue­-sp­ecific cells into cells that behave like embryonic stem cells
Mesenc­hymal
Cells isolated from the stroma or the connective tissue that surrounds other tissues and organs.
Somatic
Tissue­-sp­ecific or adult stem cells

Immune Cells (White blood cells)

B cell
Makes antibodies
CAR T
T cells engineered with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) to fight off cancer.
Dendritic Cell
boosts immune responses by showing antigens on its surface
Mast
found in connective tissues all through the body. Causes allergic reactions.
Macrophage
surrounds and kills microo­rga­nisms, removes dead cells, and stimulates the action of other immune system cells in tissue.
Monocytes
Monocytes turn into macrophage or dendritic cells when an invading germ or bacteria
T cell
develop from stem cells in the bone marrow. Protect the body from infection and may help fight cancer.
 

Other Common Cell Types With Their Own Name

Basal
cells are in the lower part of the epidermis
Chondr­ocytes
Cells that Make up cartilage
Chromaffin
A type of cell that makes neuroh­ormones
Endoth­elial
Lining of blood vessels
Epithelial
cover the inside and outside of the surfaces of the body
Glial
Support cell for neurons
Islet
pancreatic cell that produces hormones
Somatic
Any cells except the reprod­uctive (germ) cells.
Squamos
flat cells in the upper (outer) part of the epidermis, which are constantly shed as new ones form
Stromal
A type of cell that makes up certain types of connective tissue.
Transi­tional
A cell that varies in shape depending on whether the tissue is being stretched. Line hollow organs like liver.