stem cells

stem cells

single cells that can replicate, differentiate and become a specialised cell

three types of stem cells?

embryonic, adult, and therapeutically-cloned

source of stem cells in plants

meristem tissue (in the root tips - below the ground - and in the shoot tips - above the ground)

embryonic stem cells

found in embryos and can develop into any cell types

adult stem cells

only found in specific areas of the body and can only develop into a limited number of cell types (sourced in the bone marrow)

therapeutic stem cells

made through a process known as therapeutic cloning (specifically created for medical purposes)

pluripotent

ability to differentiate into all types of specialised cells

stem cell transplants

embryonic stem cells are first specialised into the necessary adult cell type. then, those mature cells replace tissue that is damaged by disease or injury

uses of stem cell transplants

• replace neurons damaged by spinal cord injury, parkinson’s disease, or other neurological disease

• produce insulin that could treat people with diabetes and heart muscle cells that could repair damage after a heart attack

• replace virtually any tissue or organ that is injured or diseased

• save plants from extinction with plant clones

social issues of stem cell transplants

• difficult to obtain donors and their stem cells

• cultured stem cells could be contaminated with viruses

• success is not guaranteed

ethical issues of stem cell transplants

some people believe that life begins at conception - us of embryonic stem cells is killing an embryo.