Stem cells Flashcards
What is a stem cell?
Stem cells are cells with the potential to develop into different cells
What are the two main sources of stem cells
adult body tissues and embryos
What is self-renew?
when stem cells make copies of themselves
What is differentiation?
when stem cells make other cells
Why do we need stem cells?
they replace specialized cells
what are somatic stem cells?
adult stem cells
what are the two types of stem cells?
embryonic stem cells and tissue stem cells
where are embryonic stem cells found?
in the blastocyst
What is potency?
a measure of how many different types of specialized cells a stem cell can make
What cells are pluripotent?
embryonic stem cells
What makes a cell pluripotent?
if they can make all types of specialized cells
What cells are multipotent?
tissue stem cells
what makes a cell multipotent?
if they can make multiple types of specialized cells but not all types
