Stem Cells

• Adult stem cells are found in adult tissues such as bone marrow or blood
• stem cells can differentiate into different types of cells
• cells differentiate into specialised cells
• undifferentiated cells are stem cells
• stem cells found in early embryos are called embryonic stem cells
• embryonic stem cells are important in the growth and development of organisms
• Meristems contain plant cells
• meristems are found in areas of a plant that are growing e.g. the tips of roots and shoots
• meristems produce stem cells that are able to divide and form any type of cell in the plant. they do this for as long as the plant lives
• stem cells can be used in medicine to cure diseases
• stem cells can be taken from human embryos and made to differentiate into specialised cells
• stem cells could be used to grow specialised cells to replace damaged tissue in a patient
• tumours - stem cells may divide uncontrollably in the patient and form a tumour
• Infection and disease - the stem cells may contain a virus which can be passed onto the patient
• rejection - the patients immune system may fight off the stem cells which means that the patient will not be cured