[39] Stem Cells and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Flashcards
What are Stem Cells?
Cells with the potential to develop into many different cell types in the body.
What are the two main types of Stem Cells?
Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs) and Adult Stem Cells.
ESCs - Initials
Embryonic Stem Cells
What is the unique feature of Stem Cells?
They can self-renew or multiply while maintaining the potential to develop into other cell types.
What are Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)?
Adult cells that have been genetically reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell-like state.
iPSCs - Initials
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
How are iPSCs created?
By introducing four specific genes encoding transcription factors.
What is the significance of iPSCs?
They provide a renewable source of high-quality cells for disease modeling, drug discovery, and regenerative medicine.
What is a key advantage of iPSCs over ESCs?
iPSCs bypass the ethical issues associated with the use of human embryos in research.
What are somatic cells?
Any cell in the body other than sperm or egg cells.
What is the potential of Stem Cells in medicine?
They can replace damaged cells and tissues in the body, offering potential treatments for a range of diseases.
What is cell potency?
The ability of a cell to differentiate into different cell types.
How is pluripotency significant in the context of Stem Cells?
Pluripotent cells, such as ESCs and iPSCs, can give rise to any cell type in the body.
What are some challenges with using Stem Cells in medicine?
Issues with cell differentiation control, immune rejection, and potential for tumor formation.
What’s the role of Stem Cells in development?
They provide the cells that differentiate to form the specialized tissues and organs of the body.
How are iPSCs different from adult stem cells?
While adult stem cells are generally limited to differentiating into different cell types of their tissue of origin, iPSCs can theoretically differentiate into any cell type.
How are iPSCs similar to ESCs?
Both have the essential property of pluripotency, which is the potential to differentiate into any type of cell in the body.
What is the role of transcription factors in the creation of iPSCs?
They reprogram the adult cells to an embryonic-like state.
How does disease modeling benefit from iPSCs?
iPSCs can be derived from patients with specific diseases, allowing the study of the disease at the cellular level.
What makes Stem Cells suitable for regenerative medicine?
Their ability to differentiate into various cell types allows them to replace damaged or lost cells in the body.
