stem cells

Question 1

what are stem cells?

Answer 1

cells that have not yet specialised (they could become any other type of cell)

Question 2

what is an embryo?

Answer 2

a fertilised egg that will grow into a baby

Question 3

what are embryonic stem cells?

Answer 3

stem cells that are found in embryos, these can develop into almost every cell type

Question 4

what are adult stem cells?

Answer 4

stems cells that are found in bone marrow, these can only change into a few cell types (usually blood cells)

Question 5

what could stem cells be used for?

Answer 5

to treat conditions such as diabetes and paralysis

Question 6

what are the ethical debates for using embryonic stem cells in medicine? (3)

Answer 6

they’re going to die anyway
can save lives
embryos aren’t conscious and developed

Question 7

what are the ethical debates against using embryonic stem cells in medicine? (4)

Answer 7

they are unpredictable
can be cancerous
can be rejected from the body
religions are against it

Question 8

what are stem cells in plants called?

Answer 8

meristem cells

Question 9

what do meristem cells do?

Answer 9

they differentiate into all types of cells in a plant

Question 10

where are meristem cells found?

Answer 10

root tips and shoot tips

Question 11

where do plant cells grow best?

Answer 11

they grow more at the roots and top than the middle