Stem Cells Flashcards
(15 cards)
How can stem cells repair
- stem cells can differentiate
- stem cells divide
Why is using stem cells from same person better than using stem cells from different person
- cells will have same DNA
- same antigens / blood group
- less risk of rejection
- no immune response
- no risk of infection
What is a stem cell
- unspecialized cells…
- which can differentiate to be any cell type
- and then divide by mitosis (self-replicating)
Two types of stem cells
- embryonic stem cells
- adult stem cells
Where adult stem cells found
- bone marrow (mostly)
Where are embryonic stem cells found
- early embryos
Embryonic stem cells vs adult stem cells
- embryonic can become any type of cell
- adult stem cells can only become certain types of cells
- (like blood cells)
Pros of using embryonic stem cells in medicine
- can differentiate into various cell types
- used
What is a stem cell
- undifferentiated cell
- that can divide and produce specialized stem cells
Define cell differentiation
- process by which cells become different, specialized cell types
Uses of stem cells
- making nerve cells
- to repair broken spinal cords
- making heart cells
- to replace heart tissue that has been damaged by CHD
- making new retinal cells
- to cure blindness
- making pancreas cells
- that can make insulin
- to cure diabetes
Pros of embryonic stem cells
- can make any cell types
- many spare embryos from IVF that would otherwise perish
- if cloned they have identical genes to patient
- so not rejected
Cons of embryonic stem cells
- ethics: ‘killing’ potential human lives
- if spare embryos used from IVF, ES cells won’t be genetically identical to patient
- could lead to rejection
- human embryos are difficult to grow in culture + very fragile
- so inefficient cloning
- may be few potential donors
- since you need human eggs and embryos
- difficult to mak ES cells differentiate into the correct cell type(s)
- if incorrect differentiation, can lead to tumors and cancer
Pros of adult stem cells
- no ethical issue
- easier to control, since already partially differentiated
- less likely to cause tumors
- no concerns over supply
- if patient’s own AS cells used, no rejection (since genetically identical)
Cons of adult cells
- not all cell types can be produced
- difficult to extract
- AS cells age, so cells from elderly may not last long