Key Area 1.4: Cellular differntiation Flashcards
What does differentiation mean (with reference to cells)?
Differentiation is when a cell becomes specialized in order to perform a specific function
What is the drawback to differentiating a cell?
The negative to a cell differentiating is that it loses the ability to make copies of itself
What is the name of unspecialized cells?
Stem cells
What is a meristem?
Meristems are regions of plant cells which have the ability to perform cell division. They have the ability to become any type of specialised cell
What is the role of meristems at the tip of roots?
The role of meristems and the tips of roots is to produce a constant supply of new cells so the roots can continue to grow
What is stem cells?
Stem cells are cells in animals that can continuously undergo cell division
What is an embryonic stem cell?
These are found in an early embryo. These cells are able to divide continuously. All the genes in an embryonic stem cell can be expressed so they can give rise to all types of cell. They are important for growth.
What is an Adult tissue cell?
These are found in a mature organism. Their function is to replenish differentiated cells that need to be replaced. Tissue stem cells are called multipotent. This means they can only give rise to the limited range of cells of their particular tissue types.
What can stem cells be used for?
Stem cells have already been used therapeutically to repair damaged or diseased organs, for example bone marrow transplants, corneal transplants, and skin grafts for burns.
Stem cells have also been used as model cells to study how diseases develop or for drug testing
