Cellular differentiation Flashcards
Cellular differentiation in multi cellular organisms
Multicellular organisms or comprised of a large number of cells. These cells are specialised to carry out specific functions within the body.
Differentiation definition
Differentiation is the process by which a cell expresses certain genes to produce proteins characteristic for that type of cell. This allows a cell to carry out specialised functions. Once a cell has been differentiated it cannot go back.
How does cell differentiation occur?
They differentiate to carry out their specific function, therefore they have a different pattern of gene expression. In essence proteins required for the cell are expressed and proteins not required are not expressed.
Meristems
Regions of unspecialised cells in plants that can divide (self renew) and or differentiate.
The embryo
Each embryonic cell possesses all the genes for making whole organism.
All the genes in cells at this early stage are still switched on or have the potential to become switched on.
Stem cells definition
Stem cells are unspecialised somatic (body) cells in animals that can divide to make copies of themselves (self renew) and or differentiate into specialised cells.
Embryonic stem cells
Cells in the very early embryo have the potential to differentiate into all the cell types that make up the organism. As such they are unspecialised.
When can embryonic stem cells renew
Under the right conditions in the lab, not in the body.
Tissue (Adult) stem cells
Tissue stem cells are involved in the growth, repair and renewal of the cells found in that tissue. They can only differentiate into cells found in a particular tissue type.
Multipotent
Term used to describe tissue (adult) stem cells, since they can only differentiate cells found in that type of tissue.
Pluripotent
Term used to describe embryonic stem cells, since they can differentiate into all types of cells.
Places where tissue stem cells are found?
Brain, Lungs, Heart, Liver, Stomach, Muscle and Skin.
Uses of stem cells - research
Stem cell research provides information on how cell processes such as cell growth, differentiation and gene regulation work.
Stem cells can be used as model cells to study how diseases develop or for drug testing.
Uses of stem cells - therapeutic uses
Therapeutic uses of stem cells involve treatment of patients. These can include the repair of damaged or diseased tissues and organs.
For example corneal repair/ transplants and regeneration of damaged skin for burn victims.
Ethical issues
Uses of embryonic stem cells can offer effective treatments for disease and injury; however it involves destruction of embryos - (potential human life)
Therefore there a lot of ethical issues that surround stem cell use and their regulation of their use is tightly controlled.
