Division and Differentiation of Human Cells Flashcards
What are somatic cells
Any cell in the human body not involved in reproduction
Are somatic cells diploid or haploid and how many sets of chromosomes do they have
somatic cells are diploid and contain two sets of homologous chromosomes
how many pairs of chromosomes do diploid cells in human have
23 pairs of homologous chromosomes
what do somatic cells divide by and to form what
somatic cells divide by mitosis to form more somatic cells
what are germline cells
Germline cells are stem cells that divide to form gametes (sperm and ova)
What do germline cells divide by
germline cells divide by both mitosis and meiosis
Why do germline cells divide by mitosis
They divide by mitosis to produce more germline cells
Why do germline cells divide by meiosis
They divide by meiosis to produce haploid gametes
Nucleus of germline stem cells divide by mitosis for what
They divide by mitosis to maintain the diploid chromosome number
Nucleus of germline stem cells divide by meiosis by
in two divisions
1) separating homologous pairs of chromosomes
2) separating pairs of chromatids
how many single chromosomes do haploid gametes contain
haploid gametes contain 23 single chromosomes
What is cellular differentiation
Cellular differentiation is the process of which cells express certain genes to produce proteins characteristic for that type of cell
What does cellular differentiation do
Cellular differentiation allows cells to carry out specialised functions
Give two types of stem cells in mammals
Embryonic stem cells
Tissue stem cells
What are embryonic stem cells
pluripotent cells
(meaning cells in the very early embryo can differentiate into all types of cells)
Why can embryonic stem cells divide into any type of cell
All genes in embryonic stem cells can be switched on and off allowing them to differentiate into any cell
What are tissue stem cells involved in
Growth, repair and renewal of cells found in that tissue
What are tissue stem cells
Tissue stem cells are multipotent (meaning they can only differentiate into types of cells found in that particular tissue, examples: blood stem cells found in bone marrow can develop into red blood cells, platelets, phagocytes and lymphocytes
What are the uses for stem cells
Stem cells have two uses
- therapeutic uses
- research uses
What are the therapeutic uses of stem cells
Therapeutic uses of stem cells are:
- Repair of damaged or diseased organs and tissues
What are stem cells used in
stem cells can be used in:
- corneal repair
- regeneration of damaged skin
How do embryonic stem cells grow
Embryonic stem cells can be cultured in laboratories to self - renew and provide supply of embryonic stem cells
What are the terms of research use for stem cells
Stem cells can be used for research uses like:
- being used as model cells to study how diseases develop
- used for drug testing
What will stem cell research show
Stem cell research provides information on how cell processes work such as cell growth and differentiation
