HHB 1.1b-d Cellular Differentiation and Stem Cells

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What is cellular differentiation?

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The process by which a cell expresses certain genes to produce proteins characteristic for that type of cell.

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What is the purpose of cellular differentiation?

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Allows cells to carry out specialised functions.

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What are pluripotent cells?

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Cells in the very early embryo that can differentiate into all the cell types that make up the individual.

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What are multipotent cells?

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Tissue stem cells involved in the growth, repair, and renewal of the cells found in that tissue, capable of differentiating into all cell types of a particular tissue.

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What is the role of blood stem cells located in bone marrow?

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They can give rise to red blood cells, platelets, phagocytes, and lymphocytes.

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What are the therapeutic uses of stem cells?

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Involves the repair of damaged or diseased organs or tissues, such as corneal repair and regeneration of damaged skin (skin graft)

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What are the research uses of stem cells?

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Used as model cells to study how diseases develop or for drug testing, also cell growth, defferentation and gene regulation.

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What are the ethical issues of using embryonic stem cells?

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Use of embryonic stem cells involves destruction of embryos, despite offering effective treatments for disease and injury.

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Why do cancer cells divide excessively?

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Because they do not respond to regulatory signals.

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What forms when cancer cells divide excessively?

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A mass of abnormal cells called a tumour.