Stem Cells

Question 1

Characteristics of a stem cell.

Answer 1

Not terminally differentiated

Can divide without limit

Undergo slow division

When divide gives rise to 1 cell with stem cell characteristics and the other with the ability to be differentiated

Question 2

Adult stem cells are ______ specific.

Answer 2

Tissue

Question 3

Ability to give rise to all cells of an organism, including embryonic and extraembryonic tissues (cells which support embryonic development).

Answer 3

Totipotency

e.g. zygote

Question 4

Ability to give rise to all cells of the embryo and subsequently adult tissues.

Answer 4

Pluripotency

eg: embryonic stem cells

Question 5

Ability to give rise to different cell types of a given lineage.

Answer 5

Multipotency

(adult stem cells)

Question 6

A cell from a blastocyst is ______

Answer 6

Pluripotent

Question 7

These cells differentiate into respective proportions of body parts where each cell has a fixed number of divisions.

Answer 7

Founder Stem Cells

Question 8

Founder cells are controlled by what?

Answer 8

Short range signals that determine stem cell populations and operate for a few hundred cell diameters.

Question 9

_____ are cells that divide frequently and become differentiated from stem cell.

Answer 9

Transit Amplifying Cells

Contribute to more cells needed.

Question 10

Where do transit cell come from?

How many cell divisions do they have?

Answer 10

They leave the basal layer after differentiating from stem cells.

They have a finite number

Question 11

What is the Immortal Strand Hypothesis?

Answer 11

Some tissues’ stem cells selectively retain original DNA as a way to prevent genetic errors in stem cells

This daughter cell will retain stem cell characteristics

Question 12

How do stem cell differentiate?

Answer 12

Involve multiple factors that combine to produce epigenetic markers in the cell’s DNA that restrict DNA expression.

Question 13

Stem cells derived from the blastocyst stage and that are capable of proliferating indefinitely in culture

Answer 13

Embryonic Stem Cells

Question 14

When put into an adult will embryonic stem cells integrate?

What other things may they possibly integrate into?

Answer 14

No, they will however if put into an embryo

Question 15

How are embryonic stem cells potentially dangerous?

Answer 15

Can become a tumor (teratoma)

Question 16

What is the benefit of ES Cell therapy?

Answer 16

Induce development of specialized cell types while solving rejection problem

Question 17

What have successful treatments in animal models been with stem cell?

Answer 17

Severe immune deficiency

Diabetes

Parkinson’s disease

Spinal injury

Demyelination

Myocardial infarction

Question 18

These transcription factors are essential for pluripotent stem cells in the empryo

Answer 18

Nanog, Oct4, Sox2, and FoxD3

Never open spoiled feta.

Question 19

This transcription factor is required during early stages of pluripotent cell differentiation

Answer 19

GCNF

Question 20

Growth factors found in pluripotent cells

Answer 20

Cripto and GDF-3

Question 21

Stem cell type from bone marrow.

Differentiates into blood components.

Answer 21

Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs)

Question 22

Comes from bone marrow

Differentiates into connective tissues, tissues.

Answer 22

Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Question 23

What can supply both mesenchymal and hematopoietic stem cells without taking directly from embryo?

Answer 23

Cord Blood

Question 24

What are the current strategies on using stem cells medically?

Answer 24

Use iPS (Patient derived)

Use non-patient derived (ES)

Reprogram primary cells

Question 25

What are the potentially neuro-regenerative adult stem cells?

Answer 25

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs): transplant

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs): liposuction

Question 26

iPS cells have a high potential for what dangerous side effect?

Answer 26

Teratoma formation

Due to viruses used to add genes and potential oncogenic factors.

Question 27

What part of the blastocyst is removed in making iPS embryonic cells or in somatic cell nuclear transfe?

Answer 27

Inner cell mass

Question 28

Challenges in SCNT

Answer 28

Inefficient (may need hundreds of oocytes)

Technically demanding - needs to be available in many or all hospitals

Question 29

What is the environment that influences a stem cell known as?

Answer 29

A stem cell niche

Question 30

Stem cells maintains telomeres via what?

Answer 30

Telomerase

Question 31

Assymetric division in which one stem cell like cell is maintained through factors.

Answer 31

Divisional Assymetry

Question 32

Assymetric divesion where environment may influence or alter one cell.

Answer 32

Environmental asymmetry

Question 33

Why would the immortal strain hypothesis benefit a stem cell?

Answer 33

Reduce mutations from synthesizing a new cell

Question 34

Why do we need serum free media for ES Cell growth?

Answer 34

Growth factors cause them to differentiate

LIF and certain cytokines are alright

Question 35

What is the downfall in adult stem cells?

Answer 35

Restricted capacity to differentiate into various tissues, maybe with some plasticity but at a low frequency

Question 36

What is a succesful therapy for Adult Stem Cells?

Answer 36

Hematopoetic stem cells repopulating bone marrow.

Question 37

Incorrectly implanted and typed adult stem cells can cause what issue?

What are some solutions?

Answer 37

Immune rejection

Stem cell banks

Somatic cell nuclear transfer instead

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Question 38

SCNT in Disease treatment challenges

Answer 38

Inefficient (May need 100s of oocytes)

Technically demanding