Division and Differentiation

Question 1

What is a somatic cell?

Answer 1

Any body cell not involved in reproduction

Question 2

Name the process by which somatic cells divide

Answer 2

mitosis

Question 3

What is produced when germline cells divide by mitosis?

Answer 3

Diploid germline stem cells

Question 4

What is produced when germline cells divide by meiosis?

Answer 4

Haploid gametes

Question 5

Describe the 2 divisions of meiosis

Answer 5

Division 1—homologous (matching) chromosomes split

Division 2— chromatids separate

Question 6

The number of chromosomes in a diploid cell

Answer 6

46

Question 7

The number of chromosomes in a haploid cell

Answer 7

23

Question 8

Name the process by which certain genes are expressed to produce the proteins characteristic of

Answer 8

Cellular Differentiation

Question 9

Why is cellular differentiation important?

Answer 9

To allow the cell to be able to carry out specialised functions

Question 10

What are stem cells?

Answer 10

Unspecialised somatic cells which can self-renew or differentiate

Question 11

Name the two types of stem cell

Answer 11

Embryonic and Tissue

Question 12

Which type of cells can be described as pluripotent

Answer 12

Embryonic

Question 13

Which type of stem cell can be described as multipotent?

Answer 13

Tissue

Question 14

Describe what is meant by ‘multipotent’

Answer 14

A cell that can differentiate to make the cell types of the particular tissue in which they are found

Question 15

What is meant by ‘pluripotent’?

Answer 15

A cell that can differentiate to
make all cell types

Question 16

State the 3 functions of tissue stem cells?

Answer 16

Growth, repair and renewal

Question 17

Give examples of how stem cells can
be used to repair damaged or dis-
eased organs or tissues

Answer 17

Corneal repair or regeneration of
damaged skin

Question 18

Which type of stem cells can
self-renew under the right
conditions in a lab?

Answer 18

Embryonic

Question 19

How can stem cells be used as model
cells?

Answer 19

To research how diseases
develop or they can be used for
drug testing

Question 20

Give an example of an ethical issue
that could be raised against the use
of stem cell research

Answer 20

Use of stem cells involves the
destruction of embryos

Question 21

Why do cancer cells divide
excessively?

Answer 21

They fail to respond to regulatory
signals

Question 22

Give the name for a mass of
abnormal cells

Answer 22

A tumour

Question 23

Why might cancer cells spread
throughout the body?

Answer 23

Cells within the tumour fail to
attach to each other

Question 24

What can form when cells in a
tumour fail to attach to each other?

Answer 24

A secondary tumour

Question 25

Define Cellular Differentiation

Answer 25

When a cell becomes specialised by expressing certain genes to produce protein characteristics