cell division + growth

• what is cell elongation?

  where a plant cell expands, making the cell bigger and so making the plant grow
• what is cell differentiation?

  the process by which a cell changes to become specialised for its job
• where are meristems found?

  roots and shoots of plants
• where are stem cells found in adults?

  bone marrow
• what are undifferentiated cells?

  stem cells
• what are the risks of using stem cells in medicine?

  tumour development, disease transmission, rejection
• why do most animals lose cell differentiation at an early stage?

  when you’re young, cells divide at a fast rate but once you’re an adult, most cell division is for repair
• why do plants grow continuously throughout their lives?

  plants continue to differentiate to develop new parts
• what are the 3 measurements taken from percentile charts?

  length, mass, head circumference
• what controls the rate at which cells divide by mitosis?

  chemicals (genes) in the DNA
• what happens if there is a change in one of the genes that control cell division?

  the cell may start dividing uncontrollably which may result in a mass of abnormal cells (tumour) if it destroys surrounding tissue, it’s cancer