Stem Cell Lecture

Question 1

Totipotency

Answer 1

Ability of a cell to give rise
to all cells of an organism, including
embryonic and extraembryonic tissues
(cells which support embryonic
development). A zygote is totipotent.

Question 2

Pluripotency

Answer 2

Ability of a cell to give rise
to all cells of the embryo and
subsequently adult tissues. (embryonic
stem cells)

Question 3

Multipotency

Answer 3

Ability of a cell to give rise
to different cell types of a given lineage.
(adult stem cells)

Question 4

Transit Amplifying Cells

Answer 4

• Mixed with stem cells are other cells that
divide frequently.
• These are called transit amplifying cells.
• Transit from a cell with stem cell
characteristics to a differentiated cell
• Leave the basal layer and are incorporated
into the layers above.
• They are programmed to divide for a
limited number of times.
• Part of strategy for growth control

Question 5

Somatic cell nuclear transfer

Answer 5

nucleus taken
from somatic cell of patient and injected into
oocyte of a donor replacing the ooctye nucleus.

Question 6

Genes in Pluripotent Cells

Answer 6

Human ES cells express genes found in
pluripotent cell populations. Many of these code
for proteins with important roles in early
embryonic development.
• Transcription factors: Nanog, Oct4, Sox2 and
FoxD3 are essential for establishment and
maintenance of pluripotent stem cells in the
embryo, GCNF is required for early stages of
pluripotent cell differentiation.
• Cripto and GDF-3 are growth factors found in
pluripotent cells.

Question 7

Blastocyst has what type of stem cells?

Answer 7

Pluripotent

Question 8

iPS cells

Answer 8

Somatic cells can be
reprogrammed to
induced pluripotent stem
(iPS) cells by defined,
limited sets of
transcription factors.