stem cells medicine

• What is a stem cell?

  An undifferentiated cell that can differentiate
• Where are stem cells found in animals?

  In embryos and adult organisms
• Where are stem cells found in plants?

  In meristem tissue at root tips and buds
• What happens during fertilization in humans?

  A sperm cell joins with an ovum
• What is the process called when cells become specialized?

  Differentiation
• What are embryonic stem cells capable of?

  Differentiating into any type of body cell
• How do adult stem cells differ from embryonic stem cells?

  Adult stem cells cannot differentiate into all cell types
• What is a common use of stem cells in medicine?

  Bone marrow transplants for leukemia treatment
• What is the first step in a bone marrow transplant for leukemia?

  Destroying the patient's existing bone marrow
• What is a risk associated with bone marrow transplants?

  Donor compatibility issues
• What is therapeutic cloning used for?

  To create stem cells that won't be rejected
• What ethical concerns are associated with therapeutic cloning?

  Objections based on ethical or religious beliefs
• What type of tissue contains stem cells in plants?

  Meristem tissue
• How can meristem tissue be used in agriculture?

  To produce cloned crop plants quickly
• Why might farmers clone plants?

  To produce disease-resistant crop plants
• What are the main uses of stem cells in medicine?

  • Bone marrow transplants for leukemia
  • Therapeutic cloning for cell replacement
• What are the sources of stem cells in animals and plants?

  • Animals: Embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells (e.g., bone marrow)
  • Plants: Meristem tissue in roots and buds
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of using stem cells in medicine?

  Advantages:

  • Potential to treat various diseases
  • Can replace damaged cells

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Ethical concerns
  • Risk of rejection or infection
• con of using embryonic stem cells

  limited supply
• why may supply of adult stem cells be better than embryonic?

  adult dont have limited supply, as its directly from patient. embryonic are limited supply
• why do embryonic stem cells reject

  immune system rejects stem cells as it has different genomes to patients
• why do adult stem cells not reject

  taken from patient so has same genomes
• 2 risks of using stem cells

  • virus transmission
  • tumor development
• how can stem cells produce tumor

  they divide quickly by mitosis, so when injected in patient uncontrolled and rapid division could develop into a tumor
• why may some people have ethical concerns over this

  embryos have the potential for human life
• what may some people argue in response to those who object stem cell usage in medicine

  • benefits of curing existing people who are suffering is more important than the rights of embryos
  • embryos used in research are unwanted from fertility clinics so otherwise would've been destroyed