Cells

• Cells

  The basic unit of all forms of life
• Cells

  • Structural differences between types of cells enables them to perform specific functions within the organism
  • Differences in cells are controlled by genes in the nucleus
• Cell division

  Cells divide by mitosis producing two new identical cells
• Stem cells


  Cells that can retain their ability to grow into a range of different types of cells if isolated at an early stage of growth before they have become too specialised
• Stem cell technology


  A new branch of medicine that allows doctors to repair damaged organs by growing new tissue from stem cells
• For an organism to grow, cells must divide by mitosis producing two new identical cells
• If cells are isolated at an early stage of growth before they have become too specialised, they can retain their ability to grow into a range of different types of cells
• Genes


  Segments of DNA that contain the instructions for making proteins. They are the basic units of heredity and are passed down from parents to offspring. Each gene carries a specific hereditary trait, such as eye color or height.
• Chromosomes


  Thread-like structures located in the nucleus of a cell that are made up of DNA and proteins and carry thousands of genes arranged in a specific order. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, for a total of 46 chromosomes, in every cell of their body, except for the sperm and egg cells which have only 23 chromosomes.
• Isolated cells


  Cells that have been physically separated from their surrounding environment or other cells. In the context provided, isolated cells are removed from the rest of the cell population at an early stage of growth, before they have become too specialized.
• Differentiated cells

  Cells that have undergone a process called differentiation, where they become specialized in their structure and function. Once cells differentiate, they typically cannot revert back to their previous state and are committed to performing a specific role in the body.
• Cells

  The basic unit of all forms of life
• Cells

  • Structural differences between various types enable them to perform specific functions within the organism
  • Differences in cells are controlled by genes in the nucleus
• Cell division

  1. Cells divide by mitosis

  2. Producing two new identical cells
• Stem cells

  Cells isolated at an early stage of growth before they have become too specialised, can retain their ability to grow into a range of different types of cells
• Stem cell technology

  A new branch of medicine that allows doctors to repair damaged organs by growing new tissue from stem cells