Stem cells and differentiation Flashcards
What is differentiation?
The process by which cells change to become specialised.
When do most types of animals cells differentiate?
At an early stage.
When do most types of plant cells differentiate?
The whole of the plant’s life.
When does most differentiation occur?
As an organism develops.
What are differentiated cells in mature animals mainly used for?
For repairing and replacing cells.
What are stem cells?
Undifferentiated cells that are capable of becoming any type of cell.
What are embryonic stem cells?
Stem cells found in early human embryos.
Where can stem cells be found in adults?
In the bone marrow and can only produce certain types of specialised cells.
How are stem cells from embryos and bone marrow used?
They can be cloned in a lab, and used in medicine or research.
Embryonic stem cells can replace faulty cells in sick people.
Where in plant can stem cells be found?
Meristems in plants contain stem cells that can differentiate into any type of plant cell.
What is the function of stem cells in plants?
Make clones of plants quickly and cheaply. Clones can be made of:
Rare species - protect them from extinction
Crop plants that have useful features for farmers to produce large number of identical plants.
What is therapeutic cloning?
An embryo is produced with the same genes as the patient - these cells won’t be rejected by the patient’s body.
What are the risks of using stem cells in medicine?
Transfer of viral infection
Some people have ethical or religious objections
What are the social and ethical issues of the use of stem cells in medical research and treatments?
Each embryo could be a human life.
Curing patients who are suffering is more important than the rights of embryos.
Embryos used for research are usually unwanted ones from fertility clinics - they can be destroyed if they weren’t used for research.
Scientists should be finding other sources of stem cells.
Give examples of medical conditions treated by stem cells?
Diabetes
Paralysis
