stem cells

Question 1

what are stem cells

Answer 1

undifferentiated cells that can self-renew [continually divide] and become specialised

Question 2

what are the different types of stem cells

Answer 2

totipotent, pluripotent, mulitpotent

Question 3

what are totipotent cells

Answer 3

can divide and produce any type of body cells , can produce whole organisms
during development, can translate only part of their DNA, resulting in cell specialisation
occur only for a limited time in early mammalian embryos

Question 4

what are pluripotent cells

Answer 4

found in embryos

can differentiate into all tissue types but not whole organisms

can become almost any type of cell
used in research with prospect of treating human disorders
could be used to regrow damaged cells in humans [ replacing burnt skin cells ]

issues : doesnt work, stem cells continue divide to create tumours, ethnically wrong to clone yourself to make an embryo to cure disease then destroy them

Question 5

what are multipotent cells

Answer 5

found in mammals
can divide to form a limited number of different cell types

e.g. bone marrow, can differentiate into a limited number of cells such as erythrocytes and neutrophils

Question 6

what are the used of stem cells

Answer 6

repairing damaged cells
treatment of neurological conditions such as alzheimers
3.research into developmental biology