L2 Questions

Question 1

What natural/pathological stimuli activate stem cells? Why is this relevant to disease/therapy?

Answer 1

• in adults: cellular mechanisms that can be local or systemic
• many growth factors, stem cell factors etc. activate the stem cells and transport them via chemotaxis to target tissue
• knowing what chemicals help with understanding cancer and how to create stem cells or activate stem cells as part of therapy

Question 2

What two key properties make stem cells unique?

Answer 2

self renewal and ability to differentiate

Question 3

totipotent

Answer 3

can differentiate into any kind of cell (e.g. fertilised egg)

Question 4

pluripotent

Answer 4

can differentiate into most cells (embryonic cells)

Question 5

multipotent

Answer 5

can differentiate into many cells –> but has limitations

Question 6

unipotent

Answer 6

can only differentiate into a single kind of cell (liver cells)

Question 7

oligopotent

Answer 7

can differntiate into at least 2 (neural stem cells)

Question 8

What are the major differences between embryonic and adult stem cells?

Answer 8

• ADULTS: reside in or near tissue, capable of giving rise to functional cells in their tissue (but not other tissue types), typically found only in tissues with regular cell turnover, decrease in activity and number with age
• EMBRYONIC: from inner cell mass, exist only in v. early embryos, capable of giving rise to every cell in the body (incl. non-regenerative), can be divided many times (indefinitely) in culture to make many cells

Question 9

Examples of disease in which the underlying basis/manifestation relies on stem/progenitor cells

Answer 9

cancer, or leukaemia (in the process of treatment)