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Flashcards in Stem Cells Deck (17)
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1
Q

What can embryonic stem cells turn into?

A

Any type of cell.

2
Q

Define differentiation.

A

Process by which a cell changes to become specialised for its job.

3
Q

Compare differentiation in animal cells and plants cells.

A

Most animals cells the ability to differentiate is lost at an early stage.
Lots of plant cells don’t ever lose this ability.

4
Q

What does it mean if some cells are undifferentiated?

A

They can develop into different types of cell depending on what instructions they’re given.
These are called STEM CELLS.

5
Q

Where are stem cells found?

A

In human embryos.

6
Q

Why are stem cells exciting to doctors and medical researchers?

A

They have potential to turn into any kind of cell.

7
Q

What happens to adult stem cells?

A

They are only found in certain places, like bone marrow.

These aren’t as versatile as embryonic stem cells, they cant turn into any cell type only certain ones.

8
Q

How are stem cells useful?

A

They may be able to cure many diseases.

9
Q

Medicine already uses adult stem cells to cure diseases, give an example?

A

People with some blood diseases can be treated by bone marrow transplants.
Bone marrow contains stem cells that turn into new blood cells to replace the faulty old ones.

10
Q

What can scientists also do with stem cells?

A

Extract stem cells from very early human embryos and grow them.

11
Q

Scientists can also extract stem cells from very early human embryos and grow them, what can these do?

A

These embryonic stem cells could be used to replace faulty cells in sick people.
You could make a beating heart muscle cells for people with heart disease.

12
Q

How do you get cultures of one specif type of cell?

A

Researchers try to control the differentiation of the stem cells by changing the environment they’re growing in.

13
Q

Why are some people against stem cell research?

A

Because they feel that human embryos shouldn’t be used for experiments since each one is a potential human life.

14
Q

Why are some people FOR stem cell research?

A

Curing patients who already exist and who are suffering is more important than the rights of the embryos.

15
Q

Name a very convincing argument in favour of this point?

A

Embryos in research are usually unwanted ones from fertility clinics.
If they weren’t used for research they would probably just be destroyed.

16
Q

What do campaigners against stem cell research say?

A

Scientists should concentrate more on finding and developing other sources of stem cells.

17
Q

Stem cell research in other countries.

A

Its banned.

In the UK it is allowed as long as it follows strict guide lines.