3.17 Flashcards
Monishka / Tatiana
What is a stem cell?
These are undifferentiated cells found in a tissue/organ with other normal differentiated cells. The stem cells can differentiate(change) when needed to produce any one of the specific cell types in that particular tissue/organ.
What is a pluripotent?
Pluripotent is an undifferentiated cell that can form MOST of the cell types needed for an entire new organism.
What is a totipotent?
Totipotents are undifferentiated cells that can form ANY of the different cell types needed for an entire new organism.
What is a morula?
A morula is an early embryo made up of a solid ball of 10-30 totipotent cells.
What is a blastocyst?
A blastocyst is an early embryo consisting of a hallow ball of cells with an inner cell mass of pluripotent cells that will eventually form a new organism.
What is stem cell therapy?
Stem cells are cells that have the capacity to replicate themselves into cells with similar properties in order to maintain a pool of precursor cells.
What is a therapeutic cloning?
This is an experimental technique that scientists hope to use in the future to produce large quantities of healthy tissue.
How does therapeutic work?
1) A scientist extracts the nucleus from an egg
2) The nucleus holds the genetic material for a human or laboratory animal
3) The scientist then takes a somatic cell, which is any body cell other than an egg or sperm, and also extract the nucleus from this cell
4) The nucleus that is extracted from the somatic cell in the patient is then inserted into the egg, which had its nucleus previously removed
5) In a very basic sense, it’s a procedure of substitution. The egg now contains the patient’s genetic material, or instructions
6) It is stimulated to divide and shortly thereafter forms a cluster of cells known as a blastocyst
Benefits of Stem Cell
Avoid surgery and its many complications and risks Minimal post-procedural recovery time No use of general anesthesia No risk of rejection No communicable disease transmission
