lecture 26 - cellular differentiation & stem cells Flashcards

1
Q

How does an embryo begin?

A

As a small number of equivalent/identical naïve totipotent cells that have the potential to give rise to any type of cell.

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2
Q

What is cell polarisation in terms of embryonic development?

A

When the nuclei of the cells move to one side of the cell and layer of micro vili forms on the outer sides of the cells , facing the inter uterine environment

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3
Q

What is the result of cell compaction in embryonic development?

A

The outer and inner cells begin to differentiate into the ICM (inner cell mass), and trophectoderm

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4
Q

What is the ICM, in terms of embryonic development?

A

Inner Cell Mass

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5
Q

What does the ICM (inner cell mass) give rise to?

A

Embryonic stem cells

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6
Q

What types of cells can embryonic stem cells give rise to?

A

All cell types except trophectoderm

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7
Q

What are trophectoderm cells?

A

Cells that give rise to the placenta during embryonic development.

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8
Q

How can the potency of embryonic stem cells be described?

A

Pluripotent

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9
Q

What does pluripotent mean, in terms of cell development?

A

Can give rise to a wide range of cells

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10
Q

In embryonic development, the progressive restriction of cell fate leads to?

A

The terminal differentiation of cells, so that individual cells can only form replicas of themselves and can opt change their fate.

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11
Q

How is the ‘fate’ of a pluripotent precursor embryonic cell decided?

A

Based on the genes that are turned on or off - certain genes code for certain transcription factors that allow specific proteins relevant to cell function to be manufactured.

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12
Q

What is the regulatory gene that controls the differentiation of an embryonic cell into a muscle cell component/myoblast?

A

myoD

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13
Q

What is the function of MyoD protein?

A

It is a transcription factor that allows a myoblast to develop into a muscle fibre by acting as a transcription factor to turn on genes that are relevant for muscle development (e.g. mysoin)

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14
Q

Where can human embryonic stem cells be harvested from?

A

The ICM of blastocyst embryos

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15
Q

What are induced pluripotent stem cells?

A

Cells made by reprogramming adult skin cells to become pluripotent - to mimic stem cells.

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16
Q

How can adult tissue stem cells be described, in terms of differentiation and potency?

A

Undifferentiated, multipotent

17
Q

What does totipotent mean, in terms of cells?

A

A cell found in an early embryo that can give rise to all cell types.

18
Q

What does multipotent mean in terms of cells?

A

Can give rise to one or a few different cell types

19
Q

Are adult stem cells multi potent or pluripotent?

A

Multipotent

20
Q

What is asymmetric division?

A

The division of a stem cell into a stem cell and progenitor cell (less specialised but still capable of differentiation) - two non-identical daughter cells

21
Q

What is a progenitor cell?

A

A descendant of a stem cell that is specialised to a specific type of tissue, but can further differentiate into specific cell types

22
Q

How can stem cells be used to correct single gene disorders?

A

By inserting a normal allele into a stem cell, a wide variety of functioning cells can be produced when they enter the body.

23
Q

What 2 types of cells do not become differentiated during embryonic development?

A

Stem cells and Germ cells