Unit 1 - topic 1😜 Flashcards
What are stem cells?
Unspecialised cells which can continue to divide to make copies of themselves or become specialised.
What is a tumour?
A mass of abnormal cells.
How does a secondary tumour occur?
If abnormal cells break away they spread throughout the body.
How may stem cell research be used?
Using stem cells as models to study how disease develop or for drug testing.
What cells do not pass mutations onto offspring?
Somatic cells.
What cells do pass their mutations to offspring?
Germiline cells
What happens when germiline cells divide by mitosis&meosis?
Mitosis- creates more germiline cells.
Meiosis- produces haploid gametes.
What happens when somatic cells divide by mitosis?
Forms more somatic cells.
What is the role of somatic cells?
Differentiate to become different types of body tissues E.g. Muscle , nerve.
What is differentiation?
The process by which a cell develops more specialised functions.
What controls differentiation?
Specialised functions on/off of genes that produce protein characteristics for that cell
Eg Rbc’s , wbc’s.