GCSE B.2 Flashcards
What are stem cells
Unspecialised cells
Where are adult stem cells found
In your bone marrow
Where are embryonic stem cells found
In developing embryos, they are needed to specialise into organs and growth
Stem cells in medicine
Stem cells have great potential in medicine. They could be used to grow organs so they don’t need to be donated, people who cant see have had stem cells used to replace the cells in there retina allowing them to see again
Pros for embryonic stem cells
Can specialise into any type of cell
Cons for embryonic stem cells
Relatively new science
Ethical issues of destroying embryos
Pros for adult stem cells
Has worked for years
No ethical issues
Cons for adult stem cells
Can only specialise into similar cells
Painful to extract
What is the cell cycle
The cycle in which a cell divides
What is the interphase
The interphase is the first step in the cell cycle and is when the chromosomes duplicate themselves. This is the longest stage in the cell cycle
What is mitosis
After the chromosomes have been duplicated, they line up at the centre of the nucleus. The nucleus then splits in half, each half having identical chromosomes. This process is called mitosis and is the second stage in the cell cycle
What is cytokinesis
After the nucleus has split, cytokinesis is the final stage in the cell cycle and is when the cell splits in half leaving two genetically identical daughter cells
Where would you expect to find stem cells in a plant
The meristem
