Stem cells

• What can stem cells produce?


  Lots more undifferentiated cells and differentiate into different types of cells
• Where are stem cells found?


  In early human embryos
• What type of cells can embryonic stem cells turn into?


  Any kind of cell at all
• Where can stem cells from embryos and bone marrow be cloned?


  In a lab
• What can cloned stem cells be used for?


  In medicine or research
• What potential do stem cells have in medicine?


  They may be able to cure many diseases
• What are some potential uses of embryonic stem cells?


  • Replace faulty cells
  • Create embryos with the same genes as a patient (therapeutic cloning)
• What is a risk associated with using stem cells in medicine?


  Stem cells could be infected with a virus and passed on to the patient
• What are some arguments against stem cell research?


  • It could be considered a human life
  • Curing patients who are suffering is more important
  • Unwanted embryos in fertility clinics might be destroyed
  • Scientists should find other sources of stem cells
• What can stem cells produce in plants?


  Identical plants
• What are meristems in plants?


  Tissues where growth occurs in tips of roots and shoots
• How can meristems be used in agriculture?


  To make rare species and crop plants