STS - biotechnology unit test

Somatic (adult) stem cells

cells that are important for growth, healing, and replacing cells that are lost through daily wear and tear

Where are somatic (adult) stem cells found?

They exist naturally in the body.

Embryonic stem cells

cells that are formed as a normal part of embryonic development that can be isolated from an early embryo and grown in a dish

Where are embryonic stem cells found?

in early embryos

Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells

cells created artificially in the lab by “reprogramming” a patient’s own cells

Where are iPS cells found?

They are not found naturally in the body, but are engineered in lab settings.

Therapeutic cloning

a method for creating patient-specific embryonic stem (ES) cells

Where is therapeutic cloning found?

It’s found within specialized biomedical research laboratories focusing on stem cell technology and regenerative medicine.

Cloning

the process of making organisms that are exact genetic copies

Ways to make a clone in a lab

• artificial embryo twinning

• somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)

Somatic cell

any cell in the body other than sperm and egg

Enucleation

the removal of the chromosomes using DNA to first localize the genetic material

Cloning an organism

making an exact genetic copy of the whole organism

Cloning a gene

isolating and making exact copies of just one of an organism’s genes

Things you need to perform cloning

• microscope

• petri dishes

• sharp & blunt pipettes

• chemical to stimulate cell division

Cumulus cell

cells that surround and nourish an egg cell

Organs and tissues that can be transplanted

heart, heart valves, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, liver, tendons, bones, intestines, corneas, skin

How many people were listed for a liver transplant in 2008?

roughly 16,000

How many people received a liver transplant in 2008?

roughly 6,000

How many people died in 2008 while they were on the liver waiting list?

roughly 2,000

Functions of the liver

• stores the vitamins, sugar, and iron that help give your body energy

• controls the removal and production of cholesterol

• clears the blood of waste products, drugs, and other toxins

• makes clotting factors that stop bleeding after cuts or injuries

• releases bile that helps digest food and absorb important nutrients

Liver failure

when the liver is unable to filter wastes, toxins, and drugs from the blood or can no longer produce the clotting factors necessary to stop bleeding; can lead to death

Most common reason for liver failure in adults

cirrhosis

Most common reason for liver failure in children

biliary atresia

Bile ducts

tubes that carry bile out of the liver

Bile

a substance released by the liver to help digest food and absorb nutrients

Biliary atresia

a disease where bile ducts are missing or damaged, preventing bile flow

Cirrhosis

a condition where healthy liver cells are replaced by scar tissue

Immunosuppressants

medications that prevent organ rejection by weakening the immune system

Regenerates

the ability of the liver to grow back to its original size

Cold ischemic time

the time between when an organ has been removed from a donor and when it is transplanted into a recipient

Why is cold ischemic time important?

The shorter the amount of time an organ is not in a body, the better the chance of a successful transplant.

Medically acceptable limit for cold ischemic time of livers

12 hours

Eggs

female gamete

Estrogen

female sex hormone secreted by the ovaries

Vulva

external female reproductive structures, including the labia and vaginal opening

Vagina

female reproductive organ that receives sperm during sexual intercourse and provides a passageway for a baby to leave the mother’s body during birth

Uterus

female reproductive organ where an embryo or fetus grows and develops until birth

Cervix

lower, narrower end of the uterus where the baby is pushed through and out of the body during birth

Ovaries

one of two female reproductive organs that produces eggs and secretes the hormone estrogen

Follicle

structure in the ovary where eggs mature

Fallopian tubes

one of two female reporductive organs that carry eggs from the ovary to the uterus and provide the site where fertilization usually takes place

Mammary glands

gland in female mammals that produces milk for offspring

Functions of the female reproductive system

• produces eggs and secretes estrogen

• receives sperm during sexual intercourse

• supports the development of a fetus

• delivers a baby during birth

• breastfeeds a baby after birth

Reproductive system

system of organs that controls reproduction, produces gametes, and secretes sex hormones

Sperm

male gamete

Testosterone

male sex hormone secreted by the testes that causes most of the changes of puberty and is needed by an adult male for the production of sperm

Penis

male reproductive organ containing the urethra, through which semen and urine pass out of the body

Urethra

muscular, tube-like organ of the urinary system that carries urine out of the body from the bladder; in males, it also carries sperm out of the body

Testes

one of two male reproductive organs that produces sperm and secretes testosterone

Scrotum

sac that hangs down outside the body and contains the epididymis and testes

Seminiferous tubules

a functional unit of the testes that produces sperm and secretes testosterone

Epididymis

male reproductive organ on top of the testes where sperm mature

Vas Deferens

tube that carries sperm from the epididymis to the urethra

Seminal vesicles

gland that secretes substances that become part of semen

Prostate gland

male reproductive organ that secretes a fluid to help form semen

Semen

fluid containing sperm and gland secretions that nourish sperm and carry them through the urethra and out of the body

Gamete

reproductive cell produced during meiosis that has the haploid number of chromosomes

Sex hormone

chemical messenger that controls sexual development and reproduction

Functions of the male reproductive system

• to produce sperm

• to release testosterone into the body

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)

techniques defined by the manipulation of both eggs and sperm to achieve pregnancy

Bilirubin

a substance measured in blood tests that reflects the liver’s ability to excrete bile

Endometrium

the thick inner lining of the uterus where a fertilized embryo implants

Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT)

a procedure where eggs and sperm are introduced directly into the uterine tube to allow for more “natural” fertilization

Haploid

a cell (like a gamete) containing only one complete set of chromosomes

Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD)

a scoring system (6-40) used to predict the risk of death without a liver transplant over three months

Moral desert

an ethical framework that considers a patient’s lifestyle choices or personal responsibility for their illness when making medical decisions

Pluripotent

the ability of a stem cell to develop into any type of cell in the body

Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT)

the laboratory process of transferring a somatic cell nucleus into an enucleated egg to create a clone

Status 1

a transplant priority designation for patients expected to die within one week without a new organ

Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (ZIFT)

a modification of IVF where fertilization occurs in vitro, but the resulting preembryo is placed in the fallopian tube

Zona pellucida

the thick extracellular shell of sugar and protein that protects an egg and regulates sperm entry