specialized tissues, stem cells and tissue renewal Flashcards
what are stem cells
unspecialized cells
capable of renewing themselves
can be induced to differentiate into tissue or organ specific cells with specialized functions
what organs do stem cells regularly divide to repair and replace worn-out or damaged tissues
gut, bone marrow, and skin
what organs do stem cells only divide under special conditions
pancreas, brain, and heart
characteristics of stem cells
not terminally differentiated
can divide without limit
able to renew themselves (preventing depletion of stem cells)
undergo slow division
totopotency
ability of a cell to give rise to all cells of an organism, including embryonic and extra-embryonic tissues (placenta)
e.g. zygote
pluripotency
ability of a cell to give rise to all cells of the embryo and subsequently adult tissues
e.g. embryonic stem cells
multipotency
ability of a cell to give rise to different cell types of a given lineage
e.g. adult stem cells
two theories of how stem cell population is maintained
asymmetric division
independent choice
asymmetric division
creates 2 cells, one with stem cell characteristics and another with the ability to differentiate (due to presence of determinate in cytosol in original stem cell)
first round of division: 50/50 split
independent choice
division makes 2 identical cells but the outcome is random and/or influenced by environment (not 50/50 split but depends on the needs of the cell)
first round of division: 50/50 split; or both stem cells; or both differentiated cells
e. g. if everything in cell/tissue is good –> independent choice allows for both daughter cells to become stem cells
e. g. if tissue is injured –> independent choice allows for both daughter cells to become differentiated
asymmetric division cannot explain
how existing stem cells rapidly increase their numbers
e.g. doesn’t explain injury situation
internal signals that influence differentiation of stem cells
gene expression
external signals that influence differentiation of stem cells
microenvironment
- chemicals secreted by neighboring cells
- physical contact with neighboring cells
- stem cell - stem cell interaction
- molecules in the microenvironment: extracellular matrix; growth factors; oxygen tension; ionic strength; pH; metabolites like ATP
founder stem cells
each organ/tissue has fixed number of founder stem cell populations programmed to have fixed number of divisions
founder stem cells divide and give rise to one daughter cell that remains a stem cell and a set of cells that have a set number of transit amplifying divisions
define the size of large final structures
transit amplifying cells
transit from a cell with stem cell characteristics to a differentiated cell
programmed to divide for a limited number of times
strategy for growth control
adult stem cells
are tissue specific
multipotent
serve as an internal repair system (divide without limit to replenish damaged cells)
need a specialized microenvironment where they can stay as a stem cell
epidermis
outer covering of skin
creates a water barrier
made of epithelial cells
continuously repaired and renewed every 30 days
dermis
second layer of skin
rich in collagen
provides toughness
hypodermis
deepest layer of skin
fatty subcutaneous layer
outer layer of dermis
inner layer of dermis
loose connective tissue
dense connective tissue
fibroblasts
secrete extracellular matrix providing mechanical support
blood vessels of skin are lined with
endothelial cells
blood vessels function to supply nutrients and oxygen and remove waste products
innate immune cells in skin
macrophages and dendritic cells provide defense against microbes and pathogens
lymphocytes in skin provide
adaptive immune response
cells found in epidermis
keratinocytes
melanocytes
dendritic cells (langerhans)
cells found in loose connective tissue of dermis
macrophages
fibroblasts
collagen fibers
lymphocytes
cells found in dense connective tissue of dermis
fibroblasts
collagen fibers
elastic fibers
epidermis is a _____ layer made of _____
stratified
keratinocytes
basal cell layer is attached to
basal lamina which separates epidermis from dermis
basal cells are only ____ cells in epidermis
dividing/stem
prickle cells
have numerous desmosomes that attach tufts of keratin filaments
granular cells
last layer of cells that are metabolically active
sealed together to form a waterproof barrier
granular cell layer forms boundary between
inner metabolically active strata and outer dead epidermis cells