2.6B - Advantages and Disadvantages of stem cells in medicine

Edexcel IGCSE Biology - Topic 2

what are stem cells?

what are stem cells?

• undifferentiated cells

• can produce many more cells of the same type (undifferentiated stem cells)

• can undergo differentiation

embryonic stem cells

• found in inside layer of an embryo

• undifferentiated

• can produce all the different types of specialised cells in the body

adult stem cells

• found in bone marrow

  • mainly differentiates into cells of the blood

• found in skin

  • differentiates into cells found in layers of skin

• found in organs (liver, brain)

  • differentiates into cells in particular orgain it is found in

• found in umbilical cord blood

  • differentiates into cells of the blood, muscle tissue and nerve tissue

meristem cells

• found in the tips of roots and shoots in plants

• fully undifferentiated

• one stem cell = ability to produce whole new plant

what is stem cell therapy?

• used in medicine

• stem cells are injected into a damaged area and divide to form differentiated replacement cells

• this allows the organ to continue functioning normally

• sources of therapeutic stem cells: embryonic stem cells, umbilical cord stem cells

what are the advantages of using stem cells?

• could be used to cure many diseases in the future (diabetes type 1, paralysis)

• organs can be grown from patients own stem cells - reduces risk of rejection by body

• adult stem cells used successfully in variety of treatments

what are the disadvantages of stem cells in medicine?

• stem cells cultured in labs could become infected

• risk of culture stem cells accumalating mutations = risk of cancer

• low number of stem cell donors

• ethical issue of using embryonic stem cells from IVF - is it right to use them?

• embryonic stem cells/umbilical cord stem cells = expensive