(Unit 1.4) Cellular Differentiation

• What is the process of cellular differentiation?

  It is the process by which a cell expresses certain genes to produce proteins characteristic of its cell type.
• Why is cellular differentiation important?

  It allows a cell to carry out specialized functions.
• What are examples of specialized cells in the human body?

  • Liver cells
  • Cartilage cells
  • Bone cells
  • Nerve cells
• What are unspecialized cells capable of?

  They can undergo differentiation to become specialized cells.
• What happens once a cell has differentiated?

  It cannot revert back to being unspecialized.
• What are the regions in plants that contain unspecialized cells called?

  Meristems.
• What is the role of meristems in plants?

  They allow for growth by dividing and differentiating into specialized cells.
• What are the unspecialized cells in animals called?

  Stem cells.
• What are the two types of stem cells in animals?

  Embryonic stem cells and tissue stem cells.
• What are embryonic stem cells derived from?

  They are derived from the early stages of embryonic development.
• What does pluripotent mean in relation to stem cells?

  It means they can differentiate into any type of cell in the organism.
• What are tissue stem cells involved in?

  They are involved in the growth, repair, and renewal of cells in that tissue.
• What does multipotent mean in relation to tissue stem cells?

  It means they can differentiate into the types of cells found in that particular tissue.
• What can stem cells from bone marrow differentiate into?

  They can differentiate into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
• What are some therapeutic uses of stem cells?

  • Repair of damaged or diseased organs and tissues
  • Corneal repair for eye conditions
  • Regeneration of damaged skin for burn victims
• How can stem cells be used in research?

  They can be used as model cells to study diseases and for drug testing.
• What is a significant advantage of stem cells in the lab?

  They can self-renew under the right conditions.
• What are some ethical issues surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells?

  They involve the destruction of the embryo, which some consider unethical.