specialised cells in medicine

• Stem cells


  Cells that can divide by mitosis to produce more cells and can differentiate into different types of specialized cells
• Types of stem cells

  • Embryonic stem cells
  • Adult stem cells
• Embryonic stem cells


  • Found in the early embryo
  • Can differentiate into any type of specialized cell
• Adult stem cells


  • Found in the bone marrow
  • Can only differentiate into different types of blood cells
• Many conditions are due to faulty cells that are damaged or don't work properly
• Using stem cells to treat conditions

  1. Extract stem cells

  2. Grow them in a lab

  3. Stimulate them to differentiate into desired cell type

  4. Transplant into patient
• Conditions that could be treated with stem cells

  • Diabetes
  • Paralysis
  • Sickle cell anemia
• Drawbacks of using embryonic stem cells

  • Limited supply
  • Ethical issues
  • Risk of rejection by patient's immune system
• Advantages of using adult stem cells

  • Easy to obtain
  • No risk of rejection
• Limitations of adult stem cells

  • Can only differentiate into blood cells
• There is new research exploring how to use adult stem cells to produce any type of cell
• Potential risks of using stem cells

  • Virus transmission
  • Tumor development
• Some people object to using embryonic stem cells on religious or moral grounds as they have the potential for human life
• Embryos used for research are usually unwanted ones from fertility clinics that would otherwise be destroyed
• Embryonic stem cell research is tightly regulated in the UK with strict rules for scientists to follow