3.4.1 - Stem Cells

Question 1

What Are Stem Cells?

Answer 1

Undifferentiated cells which can keep dividing to give rise to other cell types.

Question 2

How Do Stem Cells Divide?

Answer 2

Mitosis.

Question 3

What Is Differentiation?

Answer 3

Process by which a cell becomes specialised.

Question 4

What Is Potency?

Answer 4

Ability of stem cells to differentiate into more specialised cell types.

Question 5

What Are The 2 Types Of Potency?

Answer 5

~ Totipotency.

~ Pluripotency.

Question 6

Describe Totipotency
(2 Points)

Answer 6

~ Ability to produce all cell types, including all the specialised cells in an organism and extra-embryonic cells.

~ Only present in mammals in the first few cell divisions of an embryo, after this the stem cells become pluripotent.

Question 7

Describe Pluripotency

Answer 7

Ability of a stem cell to produce all the specialised cells in an organism, but not extra-embryonic cells as the genes for these have become deactivated.