ELI5: Why is it that the liver can (to an extent) regenerate but other vital internal organs cannot?

I am confused by what you are saying. Organs such as those you have mentioned regenerate by multiplying the cels within their tissue. For example in the liver the hepatocytes will just divide and 'repopulate' as needed. These are not stem cells.

You seem to be implying that all organs that can regenerate have their own little 'bank' of stem cells, or that stem cells will differentiate into what is needed and migrate to that area.

Adult stem cells are not totipotent (having the capacity to turn into any other cell). They are mostly restricted to their cell line, such as 'immune cells/blood cells'. Our bone marrow is pretty much the most/only significant example of stem cells in an adult, which can differentiate to RBCs, lymphocytes, macrophages etc etc. It couldn't produce a 'liver cell' and then send it out into the blood stream, your immune system would kill it for being out of place

Also consider the definitions of labile, stabile and permanent cells. Labile cells are constantly dividing and include the cells of the skin and GI and GU tracts. They pretty much have to be constantly renewing since they are assaulted so often. 'Stable' cells aren't contantly dividing, but they will if triggered to by another signal, be that hormones for growth or because that tissue has been damaged. This is where liver cells, kidney epithelial cells and lung alveolar cells. Permanent cells cannot regenerate at all, cardiac myocytes and neurones, they will simply be lost or scar (which the heart does after an MI).

Sorry I probably have just misunderstood your reply, and I expect some of what I've said here will be inaccurate somewhere, as I'm a bit of a novice at cell biology

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