Stem Cells and Carbohydrates

Vocabulary flashcards covering stem cell potency levels, carbohydrate types, and their cellular functions from lecture notes.

Stem cells

Cells that can turn into any specialised cells.

Totipotent cell

The least specialised cell, such as a zygote, that can form any cell type and placental cells.

Pluripotent cell

A stem cell found in the blastocyst that can form all cell types but not placental cells.

Multipotent cell

A cell formed after the blastocyst divides that can form a few cell types.

Somatic cells

The least potent cells formed through limiting differentiation.

Carbohydrates

Biological molecules making up 10% of organic matter in a cell, functioning as an energy source and energy store.

Monosaccharides

Simple sugars, such as glucose.

Disaccharides

Sugars formed by two joined monosaccharides.

Polysaccharides

Large molecules made of lots of monosaccharides.

Glucose

A monosaccharide that acts as an energy source in respiration.

Starch and glycogen

Carbohydrates that function as an energy store.