Stem cells Flashcards
What are stem cells?
Unspecialised cells
What things are stem cells able to do?
Divide to make more stem cells
Develop into specialised body cells
What are the two types of stem cells?
Tissue stem cells
Embryonic stem cells
Where are tissue stem cells found?
Throughout the body
What are tissue stem cells able to do?
Produce a limited range of cell types found in tissue where they occur & used for growth & repair of tissues
Give some examples of tissue stem cells in medical treatments
Scientists successfully able to remove SC from patients, grow in culture and special scaffolding to make new organs.
Grow sections of windpipe and bladder.
New skin grown from skin SC taken from patients with serious burns used in skin graphs because they are an exact match
What can bone marrow stem cells do?
Bone marrow stem cells can copy themselves and change into different types of blood cells
What are embryos made up of?
Ball of stem cells
What can embryos do?
Make all the different types of cells, tissues & organs that will make up the growing foetus
How can embryonic stem cells be used in the future?
They are ideal for research into many medical conditions because they can divide to become any type of cell
What is a transfusion?
Donated blood (which is made of cells) is matched by a blood type and given to the patient who has lost a lot of blood
What is a transplant?
Donated organs can be used to replace damaged/diseased organs
What do transplants need to be?
An exact tissue match so they aren’t rejected
What is assumed consent?
Relating to transplants, if you do not opt out of donating it will be taken that you said yes
