Higher: B1 - Cell biology Flashcards
What are prokaryotes?
Usually single-celled organisms- no nuclei or organelles.
Describe 2 features of prokaryotic cells.
1) No nucleus; DNA is stored in the cytoplasm. 2) No organelles separated by a membrane (e.g. mitochondria). 3) Smaller than eukaryotic cells
What are eukaryotic organisms?
Organisms usually, multicellular, which contain eukaryotic cells.
Where are eukaryotic cells usually found?
In multicellular organisms.
Describe 2 features of eukaryotic cells.
1) Always have a nucleus 2) Always have organelles separated by a membrane (e.g. mitochondria).
What is smaller: animal/plant or bacterial cell?
Bacterial cell.
What are the 2 types of DNA found in bacterial cells?
1) Circular strand of DNA which floats freely in the cytoplasm. 2) Plasmids- small rings of DNA.
1) What are embryonic stem cells? 2) Where can they be found?
1) Unspecialised cells which can develop into any type of cell. This is because all their genes are switched on. 2) They can be taken from embryos that are a few days old.
1) What are adult/mature stem cells? 2) Where can they be found?
1) Stem cells found in adults. Because not all the genes are switched on, they cannot differentiate into any type of cell. For example, bone marrow stem cells can become red blood cells but not gametes. 2) Can be found in the brain, heart and bone marrow.
What is the main function of mature stem cells in the body?
Repairing and replacing cells.
What is differentiation/specialisation?
The process by which a cell gains different subcellular structures, which enable it to become specialised for its function.
What could embryonic stem cells be used for?
-Replacing defunct cells in sick people, e.g. nerve cells for people paralysed by spinal injuries, or insulin producing cells for diabetics, etc. -Developing replacement organs/tissues to implant in people who need them. -Therapeutic cloning.
What is therapeutic cloning?
A process which produces an embryo with the same genes as the patient. This means that the stem cells produced by the embryo are not rejected by the patient’s body during medical treatment.
What are adult stem cells used for?
To cure disease, e.g. transferring bone marrow stem cells from a healthy person to replace faulty blood cells in a sick person.
Why are some people against stem cell research?
They believe a potential human life is more valuable than scientific research.
Why are some people advocates of stem cell research?
1) Some argue that the cells used are ones from unwanted embryos in fertility clinics which would be destroyed anyway, so they may as well be used for progress in curing disease. 2) Others think that curing patients who already exist and are suffering is more important than the rights of embryos.
What are the pros of using stem cells to cure disease?
1) Improves lifestyles of people with diseases which can be treated with stem cells 2) Would bring an end to side effects from other treatments.
What are the cons of using stem cells to cure disease?
1) Can be very expensive. 2) Not a fully developed technology; long term effects unknown. 3) Can only work in specific cases, e.g. stem cells could attack body cells because they think they’re foreign. 4) Could lead to misuse.
Unspecialised stem cells in plants are grouped together in tissues called ___.
meristems.
Where in plants is meristem tissue found?
The tips of shoots and in the roots.
What makes stem cells in meristem tissue in plants different from stem cells in most animals?
Animal stem cells can only differentiate into certain types of cell. Cells in the meristem tissues can differentiate into any type of plant cell, throughout the plant’s entire life. This allows the plant to continue to grow.
How can we use stem cells from meristems?
Cloning plants quickly and economically, thus: 1) Protecting rare species from extinction. 2) Cloning plants with desired features for farmers, e.g. disease resistance.
What are chromosomes?
Coiled up lengths of DNA molecules.
How many chromosomes are in a human body cell?
46 / 23 pairs.
Body cells normally have 2 copies of each chromosome- why?
One from the mother, one from the father.
What do genes control?
The development of different characteristics.
For what are sperm cells specialised?
Reproduction.