stem cells

• Plant stem cells are found in the meristem.
• Plant stem cells can produce identical plants
• Plant stem cells can differentiate into any type of plant cell
• Plant stem cells can produce clones of rare species
• Plant stem cells can help produce disease resistant crops
• Medicine uses adult stem cells to cure diseases e.g replace faulty blood cells
• Embryonic stem cells can turn into any type of human cell
• Stem cells found in early human embryos are called embryonic stem cells
• Bone marrow stem cells are limited and can only turn into cells like blood cells.
• In therapeutic cloning there is no chance of infection because they have the same DNA.
• In therapeutic cloning, there is a risk they could be contaminated in the lab.
• Embryos can be viewed as potential life, which causes ethical issues.
• Embryonic stem cells can turn into any type of cell.
• Stem cells can be found in early human embryos and adult bone marrow.
• Stem cells from embryos and bone marrow can be grown in a lab to produce clones and made to differentiate into specialised cells for medicine and research.
• Stem cells may be able to cure many diseases.
• Stem cells transferred from the bone marrow of a healthy person can replace faulty blood cells in patients.
• Embryonic stem cells can be used to replace faulty cells in sick people.
• Embryonic stem cells could produce insulin-producing cells for people with diabetes and nerve cells for paralyzed patients.
• In therapeutic cloning an embryo could be made to have the same genetic information as a patient.
• There are risks in using embryonic stem cells in medicine. Name one.

  stem cells could become contaminated with a virus that is then passed onto a patient.
• Some people are against stem cell research.
• In some countries stem cell research is banned.
• Stem cell research is allowed in the UK but has strict guidelines.