Stem Cells

                                                                      DEFINITIONS

Cell-Based Therapies- Treatment in which stem cells are induced to differentiate into the specific cell type required to repair damaged or destroyed cells or tissues.

Differentiation- The process whereby an unspecialized embryonic cell acquires the features of a specialized cell such as a heart, liver, or muscle cell.

Embryonic Stem Cell Line- Embryonic stem cells, which have been cultured under conditions that allow proliferation without differentiatioon for months to years.

Proliferation- Expansion of the number of cells by the continuous division of single cells into two identical daughter cells.

Plasticity- The capability of being molded, receiving shape, or being made to assume a desired form.

Pluripotent- The state of a single cell that is capable of differentiating into all tissues of an organism, but not alone capable of sustaining full organismal development.

                                                                      QUESTIONS

1.) What are the unique properties of all stem cells? Explain in your own words what each property means.
     -Most stem cells are different from one another because of the body cells, but one thing that they all have in common is that they are able to divide and renew themselves for a  long period, stem cells are unspecialized, and lastly they can rise to special cell types.


2.) What are the two main kinds of stem cells used by researchers? What are the major differences between the two types in terms of their sources and usefulness to researchers? Give examples for each type of stem cell.
     -The two main kinds of stem cells they use are embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic stem cells.

     -The differences are that embryonic stem cells are primitive cells that are derived from preimplantation and are known to develop into cells and tissues of the three primary germ layers and non-embryonic stem cells are already grown and cant develop into cells and tissues.


3.) List some of the diseases that scientists think may be treated using stem cell research and suggest how stem cells might be used to treat each disease.
     -Parkinson's Disease
     -Heart Disease
     -Diabetes
     -Arthritis
-Scientists think that the pluripotent stem cell will offer the possibility of replacing cells and tissues to treat these diseases.


4.) What are the necessary characteristics that laboratory-manipulated stem cells will need to have in order to be successfully used in cell-based therapies?
-There are alot of levels the stem cells go through to become succesful but the first one is the most important because if it doesn't go through the first level then it will never make it to the other levels and the first level is growing and subculturing the stem cells for many months. This ensures that the cells are capable of longh term growth and self renewal.