Stem Cells

Question 1

What is a stem cell?

Answer 1

An unspecialised cell that can mature into different specialised cells.

Question 2

What a totipotent stem cell?

Answer 2

• can differentiate into any type of cell
• occur for a limited time in an embryo

Question 3

What is a pluripotent stem cell?

Answer 3

• can mature into any cell except from placental cell
• occur in the embryo

Question 4

What is a multipotent stem cell?

Answer 4

• can specialise into a few different types of body cells
• found in adult mammals

Question 5

What is a unipotent stem cell?

Answer 5

• can only specialise into one type of body cell
• found in adult mammals

Question 6

What are induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS)?

Answer 6

• a unipotent cell is forced to become a pluripotent cell by adding 4 genes which code for 4 transcription factors