Stem Cells Flashcards
What is differentiation?
The process by which a cell changes to become specialised for its job
What is an undifferentiated cell?
It can develop into different types of cells depending on what instructions they’re given these are called stem cells
Where are stem cells found?
In the early human embryo
Why are stem cells exciting?
They have the potential to turn to turn into any kind of cell (this is how all different cell types found in a human came from an embryo)
Where are adults stem cells found and what’s the issue with them?
Found in certain places like Bone Marrow
They’re aren’t as versatile as embryonic stem cells so can’t turn into any cell type only certain ones
How are adult stem cells already used in medicine?
People with some blood disease can be treated by bone marrow transplant and bone marrow contains stem cells that can turn into new blood cells to replace the faulty old ones
How else do scientists get stem cells?
Extract them from very early human embryos and grow them
Give examples of what embryonic stem cells can be used for?
Heart beating muscle cells for people wit heart disease
Insulting producing cells for people with diabetes
Nerve cells for people paralysed with spinal injury
What do researchers need to do in order to be able to choose which specific type of cell is produced?
Control the differentiation in the stem cell by changing the environment they’re growing in
Why are people against stem cell research to do with embryos?
They fell that they shouldn’t be hard for experiments since each embryo is potential human life
They think that scientists should develop other sources of stem cells
What are the arguments for stem cell research?
Curing patients who already exist and who are suffering is more important than the rights of an embryo
Most of the used in research are unwanted ones from fertility clinics
