Cell differentiation and stem cells

• What is differentiation in the context of cells?

  Differentiation is the process by which a cell changes to become specialised.
• At what stage do most cells lose the ability to differentiate?

  Most cells lose the ability to differentiate at an early stage.
• How does differentiation in plant cells differ from that in animal cells?

  Plant cells don't ever stop differentiating.
• Why is having specialised cells important for organisms?

  It allows organisms to work more efficiently.
• What do palisade leaf cells primarily do?

  Palisade leaf cells do most of the photosynthesis in plants.
• What is the significance of the shape of palisade leaf cells?

  Their shape allows for a lot of surface area to absorb CO2 from the air.
• Why do sperm cells contain many mitochondria?

  They contain lots of mitochondria to help them swim.
• What is the function of the acrosome in sperm cells?

  The acrosome helps digest through the egg cell membrane.
• How do cells form tissues and organs in multicellular organisms?

  • Groups of cells working together form tissues.
  • Tissues work together to form organs.
  • Different organs make up an organ system.
• What are stem cells?

  Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can divide to become new cells.
• Where are embryonic stem cells found?

  Embryonic stem cells are found in early human embryos.
• What is the potential of embryonic stem cells?

  They have the potential to turn into any kind of cell.
• Where are adult stem cells found?

  Adult stem cells are found in certain places like bone marrow.
• Why are stem cells important for organisms?

  They are important for the growth and development of organisms.
• How do adult stem cells differ from embryonic stem cells?

  Adult stem cells can only turn into certain types of cells, not any cell type.
• What is one use of adult stem cells in animals?

  They are used to replace damaged cells, like making new skin or blood cells.
• Where are meristems found in plants?

  Meristems are found in areas of a plant that are growing, such as roots and shoots.
• What do meristems produce?

  Meristems produce unspecialised cells that can divide and form any cell type in the plant.
• How do plant stem cells differ from human stem cells?

  Plant stem cells can divide to generate any type of cell for as long as the plant lives.
• What types of tissues can unspecialised cells from meristems become?

  They can become specialised tissues like xylem and phloem.