cell differentiation, cell specialization, and stem cells Flashcards
what do specialized cells have?
special shapes and structures that allow them to do specific functions
what is cell differentiation?
the process by which a cell becomes specialized to perform a specific job
what directs cell differentiation?
genetic information (DNA) inside cell
when does cell differentiation occur?
during early development of living organisms
what is cell specialization?
the process by which cells develop form similar cells into cells that have specific functions within a multi cellular organism
where does a specialized cell come from?
a non specialized cell (stem cell)
do specialized cells look alike?
no
specialized cells are ______ internally
different
muscle cells that use a lot of energy– more _______
mitochondrion
intestine cells that produce mucus– more _________
Golgi bodies
fat cells that store fat molecules– large _________
vacuole
specialized cells carry out a _________
specific job
skeletal muscle cell
contract to allow movement
fat cell
store energy in the form of fat
nerve cell
conduct electrical signals or coordinate activities
red blood cell
deliver oxygen and remove carbon dioxide
what are stem cells?
non specialized cells that can produce various specialized cells
stem cells can __________ through mitosis and cytokinesis
divide to produce copies of themselves
daughter cells can develop into different types of cells based on _________
which genes are switched on
when and where can stem cells be found in the human body?
in various parts of the human body at every stage of development to adult
stem cells are found in groups that ________
differentiate into different tissues layers
what are 3 types of stem cells?
embryonic stem cells
totipotent stem cells
pluripotent stem cells
where are embryonic stem cells found?
in very young embryos (less than one week old)
where are totipotent stem cells found?
in early embryos (within 24 hours)
where are pluripotent stem cells found?
in the embryo (4-5 days)
what can a totipotent stem cell become?
any kind of cell
what can a pluripotent stem cell become?
many but not all kinds of cells
what are adult stem cells also known as?
tissue stem cells
when are adult stem cells found?
in the late development of the fetus or after birth
where do adult stem cells exist?
within specialized tissue or organs
which stem cells are easier to isolate?
cord blood
bone marrow
what is the purpose of adult stem cells?
to maintain and prepare the tissue in which they are found
name 2 reasons stem cells are useful
repair and replace damaged human tissue
treat and cure disease and injuries
stem cells can be used to treat diseases because natural processes cannot replace most _____________ if they are ___________
specialized cells / seriously damaged or diseased
stem cells can be used to treat diseases because transplantation of healthy organs of donors has posed __________
high risks
how are stem cells used to treat disease?
transplanting specialized cells that are grown from stem cells in the lab
what are bone marrow transplants used to treat?
leukaemia
how do bone marrow transplants work?
umbilical cord blood or healthy bone marrow cells from matched donor has high concentration of adult stem cells = used to treat childhood leukaemia
where do embryonic stem cells come from?
spare human embryos left over from fertility treatments or cloned human embryo developed in the lab
what is a more ethical and moral alternative to human embryo cells?
adult stem cells
what are 3 issues in stem cell research?
ethical
legal
social
what is the ethical controversy centred on?
moral implications of destroying human embryos
what is the legal controversy centred on?
whether and how stem cell technologies should be regulated by the government
what is the social controversy centred on?
the impact of stem cell technology on society as a whole
