The present invention relates to the identification of a stem cell-specific signature or signatures composed of protein and/or nucleic acid markers expressed by virtue of the position of a cell or cells in the time line of its/their development and the impact of the cells environment on this signature as it relates to the cells stem cell potential. The composition and combination of these signatures provides a means of identifying, manipulating and differentiating said adult stem cells and thus, their acquisition and utilization in research, diagnosis, and therapy of normal and pathological conditions.
