Cellular differentiation

Question 1

What is Cellular differentiation?

Answer 1

Cellular 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.

Question 2

What are Meristems?

Answer 2

Meristems are regions of unspecialised cells that can self-renew and/ or differentiate.

Question 3

What are Stem Cells?

Answer 3

Stem cells are unspecialised cells that can self-renew and/or differentiate.

Question 4

What are Embryonic cells?

Answer 4

Embryonic cells have the potential to differentiate into almost all body tissues and so are pluripotent.

Question 5

How can Embryonic stem cells differentiate?

Answer 5

All the genes in embryonic stem cells can be switched on so these cells can differentiate into any type of cell.

Question 6

What are Tissue stem cells? give and example plx.?

Answer 6

Tissue stem cells are multipotent as they can differentiate into all of the types of cell found in a particular tissue type.

eg/
blood stem cells located in bone marrow can give rise to all types of blood cell.

Question 7

What are Tissue stem cells involved in?

Answer 7

Tissue stem cells are involved in repair, growth and renewal of cells found in that tissue.

Question 8

What are the ethical issues with embryonic stem cells?

Answer 8

Use of embryonic stem cells can offer effective treatments for disease and injury; however, it involves destruction of embryos.

Question 9

What does Stem cell research provide?

Answer 9

Stem cell research provides information about how the cell processes, such as cell growth, gene expression and gene regulation, occur.

Question 10

Give a therapeutic uses of stem cells?

Answer 10

• bone marrow transplant to treat leukaemia

- skin grown from stem cells to treat burn victims