Stem Cell Engineering

Question 1

Why are pluripotent the favorite in the scientific community?

Answer 1

They can differentiate into wide range of cell types desired and have unrestricted developmental potential

Question 2

Pluripotent aka:

Answer 2

Embryonic stem cells

Question 3

Embryonic stem cells derived from __ stage of embryo

Answer 3

Blastocyst

Question 4

Can embryonic stem cells taken from blastocyst and put back in integrate well with the embryo?

Answer 4

Yes

Question 5

They zygote is: pluripotent, multipotent, or totipotent?

Answer 5

Totipotent

Question 6

What does the blastocyst contain?

Answer 6

Inner cell mass of ES cells

Question 7

Retinoic acid is a common factory in production of different cell types from ES cells?

Answer 7

Yes

Question 8

What are the variety of tissue types capable from ES cells?

Answer 8

Cartilage, bone, skin, nerves, gut, and respiratory lining

Question 9

What happens if ES cells are injected into embryo at a LATER STAGE OR INTO AN ADULT?

Answer 9

They fail to receive appropriate cues for proper differentiation

Question 10

What is a teratomas?

Answer 10

No axis formation or segmentation ie will not differentiate

Question 11

What is high throughput screening?

Answer 11

Libraries of chemical compounds to test cell division

Question 12

What is SCeNT?

Answer 12

Nucleus taken from somatic cell of patient and injected into oocyte of a donor to replace the oocyte nucleus. Blastocyst generated from this hybrid and ES cells isolated

Question 13

What is reprogramming of adult cells?

Answer 13

Try to convert adult cells into ES-like cells by manipulating gene expression

Question 14

What are the candidate genes for reprogramming adult cells?

Answer 14

Oct4
Sox2
Klf4 
Myc
(Nanog)

Question 15

T/F: When injected into fibroblasts, the candidate genes form ES-like cells including the ability to differentiate into other cells types with a high yield

Answer 15

False, a LOW YIELD

Question 16

How does iPSC work?

Answer 16

Induce pluripotent characteristics using identified TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS that induce genes for stem-ness

Question 17

What are the 4 pros for iPS cells

Answer 17

1. Up regulation of ES cell genes
2. Up regulation of cell proliferation
3. Loosening of chromatin structure
4. Down regulation of differentiation genes

Question 18

What are the challenges for regenerative medicine and Transplantation therapy?

Answer 18

Tissue/immune rejection and genetic and epigenetic aberrations

Question 19

What are the pros of stem cells in umbilical cord?

Answer 19

Undifferentiated, no ethical problem, no genetic manipulations

Question 20

How are ES cells used in repair of skin?

Answer 20

Culture epidermal cells; use artificial matrix of collagen and glycosaminoglycan sheet lined with silicone in the mean time that will attract fibroblasts and blood capillaries from patient and then transplant cultured epidermal cells

Question 21

Other than retinoic acid, what are some other growth factors to help produce different cell types from ES cells?

Answer 21

Macrophage colony stimulating factor
Dibutyryl cAMP
Fibroblast growth factor

Question 22

Somatic cell nuclear transfer technique combines cloning and embryonic stem cells. The nucleus used in this technique is obtained from which cells of the patient?

Answer 22

Fibroblast of patient