Like embryonic germ cells

[patanjali.purpose]

Like embryonic germ cells, which are cells that develop early in the formation of the fetus and that later generate eggs or sperm, embryonic stem cells have the ability of developing themselves into different kinds of body tissue.

(A) embryonic stem cells have the ability of developing themselves into different kinds of body tissue
(B) embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into different kinds of body tissue
(C) in embryonic stem cells there is the ability to develop into different kinds of body tissue
(D) the ability to develop themselves into different kinds of body tissue characterizes embryonic stem cells
(E) the ability of developing into different kinds of body tissue characterizes embryonic stem cells

What is difference between 'the ability to develop' and "the ability of developing"? Is 'the ability to develop' ALWAYS CORRECT (in other words is it a rule that THE ABILITY must be followed by AN INFITINIVE?

Why THEMSELVES is wrong in A

OA-B

[Kasia@EconomistGMAT]

The pronoun "themselves" is redundant and unidiomatic when used after "develop."
As to the expression "the ability of developing" it is incorrect stylistically. The correct idiom is "ability TO do something."

[GmatKiss]

Like embryonic germ cells, which are cells that develop early in the formation of the fetus and that later generate eggs or sperm, embryonic stem cells have the ability of developing themselves into different kinds of body tissue.

(A) embryonic stem cells have the ability of developing themselves into different kinds of body tissue
(B) embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into different kinds of body tissue(C) in embryonic stem cells there is the ability to develop into different kinds of body tissue
(D) the ability to develop themselves into different kinds of body tissue characterizes embryonic stem cells
(E) the ability of developing into different kinds of body tissue characterizes embryonic stem cells