18. Stem Cells

Question 1

What are the key characteristics of stem cells?

Answer 1

• Unspecialised
• Capable of self-renewal
• Can becomes specialised cell types

Question 2

What potency is a fertilised egg?

Answer 2

Totipotent - gives rise to the whole organism

Question 3

What potency is the blastocyst?

Answer 3

The inner cell mass is pluripotent - gives rise to all cell types of embryo

Question 4

What potency are the blood stem cells from the umbilical cord?

Answer 4

Multipotent (gives rise to blood, muscle, bone and cartilage)

Question 5

What potency are somatic stem cell/adult stem cells?

Answer 5

Multipotent - brain, cornea, bone marrow, gut, skin, liver

Question 6

What potency are hematopoeitic stem cells from the bone marrow?

Answer 6

Multipotent

Question 7

What potency are cells from the placenta?

Answer 7

Multipotent

Question 8

What potency is oogonia?

Answer 8

Unipotent

Question 9

What potency is spermatogonia?

Answer 9

Unipotent

Question 10

What are the conditions for cell culture?

Answer 10

• Cells are grown in nutrient rich solution (media)
• House in incubator at 37 degree with 2-20% oxygen
• Cells grow, divide, can be induced to become specialised cells

Question 11

What are the characteristics of embryonic stem cells?

Answer 11

• Immortal (unlimited numbers)
• THey can self renew
• Pluripotent

Question 12

What are Mesenchymal stem cells?

Answer 12

Cells isolated from the bone marrow (and connective tissue that are found in and around tissues and organs)

Question 13

How can somatic cells be reprogrammed to make ES like cells?

Answer 13

Take any somatic cells and add a mixture of genes known as the yamanaka factors

This reprograms them into induced pluripotent ES-like cells (iPS cells)

Question 14

What is the main difference between somatic/MSC and ES/iPS cells in potency?

Answer 14

Somatic/MSC cells are multipotent

ES/iPS cells are pluripotent

Question 15

What is the difference between somatic/msc stem cells as ES/iPS stem cells in terms of their quantity and in vitro expansion?

Answer 15

Somatic/MSC cells - for most thissue they occur in low numbers, cannot be cultured for very long

ES/iPS cells - can be kept in culture long term so they can be expanded into large numbers needed for stem cell therapies

Question 16

How can immunocompatible designer cells be obtained?

Answer 16

Take a tissue cell biopsy-add yamanaka factors- derive iPS cells- generate specialised cells for patient- replace cells of diseased organ or tissue

Question 17

What are the current conclusions about somatic cell nuclei?

Answer 17

They are not permanately specialised

They can be induced to change specialisation given the correct signals

Question 18

How can stem cells be used to treat spinal cord injury?

Answer 18

• Use rat embryonic stem cell derived oligodendrocyte progenitors for the treatment of spinal cord injury

Question 19

What are the types of spinal cord injury?

Answer 19

• A traumatic spinal cord injury may stem from a sudden traumatic blow to your spine that fractures, dislocates, crushes or compresses one or more of your vertebrate.