1.4 Cellular Differentiation Flashcards
Definition of cellular differentiation
Cellular differentiation is the process by which a cell expresses certain genes to produce proteins characteristic for that type of cell. This allows a cell to carry out specialised functions.
Give an example of a gene which will be switched on in each of these cells: – Red blood cell – Lymphocyte – Pancreatic cell – Salivary gland cell
haemoglobin
antibodies
insulin
amylase
State the two regions that apical meristems are found
Tips of the shoot and root
Lateral meristems are responsible for which type of growth?
Secondary growth i.e. an increase in girth
State the order of the processes that must occur for a cell to become Differentiated
mitosis and cell division, elongation and vacuolation, differentiation
Define therapeutic uses of stem cells
Therapeutic uses involve the repair of damaged or diseased organs or tissues.
Define uses of stem cell research
Research uses involve stem cells being used as model cells to study how diseases develop or being used for drug testing.
What are stem cells?
Unspecialised cells in animals that can divide (self-renew) and / or differentiate
What does it mean when we say a cell has been differentiated?
The cell expresses certain genes to produce proteins characteristic for that type of cell and so performs a specialised function
what is the porpose of adult stem cells?
Growth, repair and renewal of the cells found in that tissue
Therapeutic or research uses;
Studying how cells differentiate and grow
Research
Therapeutic or research uses;
Bone marrow transplant
Therapeutic
Therapeutic or research uses;
Replacing damaged nerve tissue in the spinal cord
Therapeutic
Therapeutic or research uses;
Producing skin for skin grafts
Therapeutic
Therapeutic or research uses;
Researching the development of Parkinson’s disease
Research
