t2 stem cells

Question 1

What is a stem cell?

Answer 1

One of the human body’s master cells, with the ability to grow into any one of the body’s more than 200 cell types.

Question 2

Unique properties of SCs

Answer 2

The 2 properties that are most closely associated with stem cells are:
- self-renewal
- potency or differentiation

Question 3

Unique properties of SCs

Answer 3

The 2 properties that are most closely associated with stem cells are:
- self-renewal
- potency or differentiation

Question 4

Self-renewal (definition)

Answer 4

The ability to go through numerous cycles of cell division while maintaining the undifferentiated state (multiple copies of itself)

Question 5

Types of SCs division (2)

Answer 5

a) Symmetrical division creates 2 identical daughter cells
b) Asymmetrical division creates 2 non identical daughter cells (it can happen when the cell divides itself or its organelles unequally or the environment signals 2 different thing to the daughter cells).

Question 6

Self-renewal in vivo

Answer 6

a stem cell niche

Question 7

Stems cells (potency)

Answer 7

Totipotent, pluripotent, multipotent, oligopotent and unipotent

Question 8

Apoptosis (def)

Answer 8

Is the natural process of cell death and is also called programmed cell death (suicide). If differed from necrosis wherein the cell is starved for nutrients by lack of blood supply or cell trauma wherein the cell becomes damaged and dies.

Question 9

Reasons for apoptosis:

Answer 9

1) Some cells are generated in excess and only those that become properly functional survive
2) Cells that loss their function
Enzymes responsible of apotosis: Caspases

Question 10

Differentiation (Potency) (def)

Answer 10

the capacity to differentiate into specialized cell types. In the strictest sense, this requires stem cells to be either totipotent or pluripotent - to be able to give rise to any mature cell type, although multipotent or unipotent progenitor cells are sometimes referred to as stem cells

Question 11

Totipotent

Answer 11

have the ability to from an entire organism

Question 12

Pluripotent

Answer 12

are able to form all three germ layers including germ cells, but not the extraembryonic tissue, the placenta, and the umbilical cord. Cells of the inner cell mass (ICM) of the blastocyst are pluripotent. When these cells are brought into culture, they are called embryonic stem cells

Question 13

Multipotency

Answer 13

means the ability to form multiple cell types. MSCs can differentiate into cells that form bone, cartilage, and fat

Question 14

Oligopotent

Answer 14

stem cells can differentiate into two or more lineages, for example, neural stem cells that can form a subset of neurons in the brain

Question 15

Unipotency

Answer 15

is the ability to form cells of a single lineage, for example, spermatogonial stem cells