Challenges in Biomedical Research

Xenograft

Using an organ from another species for transplantation.

Chemical properties

Refers to how the material will interact with other materials.

Adult stem cells

Undifferentiated cells also known as somatic stem cells.

Totipotent cell

Structure with potential to develop into any other cell within the human body.

Regenerative medicine

Relies heavily on the use of stem cells for tissue regeneration.

Transgenic animals

Genetically modified organisms created by implanting genetic information from one species into another.

Nano

A prefix meaning one-billionth.

Nanoparticles

Particles that can be described as one-billionth.

Somatic stem cells

Undifferentiated cells also called adult stem cells.

Enucleated oocyte

Structure containing the genetic information intended for cloning in a cloned mammal.

Genetic mapping

Process of charting the position of known genes and other markers relative to each other.

Genetically modified organisms

Used to harvest organs for humans, demonstrating benefits like animal models and tissue and organ donors.

Incomplete dominance

Describes plants possibly having several different colors.

Allele

Any number of viable DNA codings of the same gene occupying a given position on a chromosome.

Biomaterial matrix

In regenerative medicine, once developed, the scaffolds must be able to remain unchanged.

Scaffold

First step to building a new organ using regenerative medicine.

Transgenic animal approval

Biomedical researchers seek approval from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Bioaccumulation

Particles in sunscreen may accumulate in a water source.

Clean room

Space designed specifically to keep out all airborne particles for nanobiotechnology research.

Transgenic animal

Implanting a gene from one organism into an embryo will create this.

Pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells)

Reprogrammed adult cells produced in a lab to take on characteristics of embryonic stem cells.

Mammal cloning

First reports of successful mammal cloning date to the 20th century.

Artificial heart

Medical device that made the external cardiac pump obsolete.

Quantitative inheritance

Describes traits like flower color in plants.

Replace, reduce, and refine

Alternative scientific methods researchers use to design experiments that do not use animals.

Reproductive cloning

Also called somatic cell nuclear transfer.

Bone marrow

Where adult stem cells are most likely found for harvesting and transplantation into a patient.

Patent approval

Biomedical researchers seek approval from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for creating a transgenic animal.

Xenograft tissue

Used in a heart transplant, comes from a different species.

Adult stem cells

Most often used to avoid rejection by the patient's immune system.

Scanning probe and helium ion

Two types of microscopes used for manipulating material on the nanoscale.

XX chromosome pairing

Represents a female in humans.

Genetically modified mammal

One benefit is to produce animal models for research.

Sheep

Animal successfully cloned in a research facility in Scotland in 1996 from an adult stem cell.

Clean rooms

Special facilities designed to keep airborne particles out for nanobiotechnology research.