Stem Cells (Edexcel GCSE Combined Science: Biology): Flashcards
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Stem cell
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Stem cell
An undifferentiated cell capable of dividing to produce many more cells of the same type.
How do stem cells give rise to other cell types?
By the process of differentiation.
Why are embryonic stem cells important?
They help form all the different tissues and organs needed during development to form a whole new individual.
What can cells in the very early embryo differentiate into?
Any other type of body cell.
How are adult stem cells more limited than embryonic stem cells?
They can only differentiate to produce a few different cell types.
What are adult stem cells predominantly used for?
To replace cells lost through damage or to produce new cells for growth.
Which tissue must continually make new blood cells throughout life?
The bone marrow.
What is meant by an undifferentiated cell?
A cell that has not yet become specialised.
A stem cell is an cell capable of dividing to produce many more cells of the same type.
undifferentiated
stem cells can differentiate into any body cell, whereas adult stem cells can only form a few cell types.
Embryonic
Meristem tissue
The tissue in the root and shoot tips of a plant where stem cells are found.
Meristem cells
Unspecialised plant cells that can differentiate into the cells needed by the plant where growth is occurring.
Where are stem cells found in plants?
In the meristem tissue at the root and shoot tips.
What can meristem cells in the roots differentiate into?
Root hair cells, as well as other cells required in that part of the plant.
For how long do plant stem cells keep their ability to differentiate?
Throughout the life of the plant.
What can plant stem cells be used for?
To clone plants with desired characteristics, e.g. resistance to certain diseases.
Give an example of a desired characteristic for cloning plants.
Resistance to certain diseases.
In plants, stem cells are found in the root and shoot tips, in the tissue.
meristem
Plant stem cells can be used to plants with desired characteristics.
clone
Embryonic stem cells
Stem cells extracted from human embryos that can be stimulated to differentiate into most types of specialised cell.
What can adult stem cells be made to do in the lab?
Differentiate into specialised cells (predominantly blood cells), but into fewer cell types than embryonic stem cells.
Name a disease already treated using stem cells.
Leukaemia.
Name diseases that stem cells could potentially cure in the future.
Diabetes and paralysis.
Where are embryonic stem cells obtained from?
Human embryos grown in the lab.
What can embryonic stem cells be stimulated to differentiate into?
Most types of specialised cell.
Why are embryonic stem cells potentially very effective in medicine?
They can repair damaged organs by growing new tissue from stem cells.
Why is the use of stem cells in medicine controversial?
It raises considerable ethical and social concerns, as well as having benefits and risks.
Adult stem cells can differentiate into cell types than embryonic stem cells.
fewer
Stem cells are already used to treat , a type of blood cancer.
leukaemia
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