Cell division and stem cells

• Cell Division


  The process by which a parent cell divides into two or more daughter cells
• Purpose of Cell Division

  • Plays a vital role in growth, development, and repair of organisms
• Types of Cell Division

  • Mitosis
  • Meiosis
• Mitosis


  Occurs in somatic (body) cells, producing two identical daughter cells with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell
• Meiosis


  Occurs in reproductive cells (sperm and egg), resulting in four daughter cells with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell, essential for sexual reproduction
• Stages of Mitosis


  1. Interphase

  2. Prophase

  3. Metaphase

  4. Anaphase

  5. Telophase
• Mitosis ensures genetic stability by producing genetically identical daughter cells for growth, tissue repair, and asexual reproduction
• Stem Cells


  Undifferentiated cells with the ability to differentiate into specialized cell types and self-renew through mitotic division
• Types of Stem Cells

  • Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs)
  • Adult Stem Cells
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)
• Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs)


  Derived from early-stage embryos and have the potential to differentiate into any cell type in the body
• Adult Stem Cells


  Found in various tissues throughout the body and are involved in tissue repair and regeneration. They have limited differentiation potential compared to ESCs
• Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)

  Adult cells that have been reprogrammed to exhibit pluripotency similar to ESCs, offering potential for personalized medicine and regenerative therapies
• Applications of Stem Cells

  • Regenerative Medicine
  • Drug Discovery and Development
  • Biomedical Research
• The use of embryonic stem cells raises ethical concerns due to the destruction of embryos. Alternative approaches such as iPSCs offer ethical advantages while still providing significant research and therapeutic potential