L42 - Stem Cells

overview

• stem cells CAN reproduce or differentiate

Types of Stem cells

1. Embryonic stem cells

• pluripotent = can become ANY cell type

2. Adult stem cells = stems cells found where cell reproduction occurs

• multipotent = can become 1+ RELATED cells

→ Blood (hematopoietic) stem cells: in bone marrow

→ Skin (epidmeris) stem cells : in epidermis

-reproduce to make stem cells and/or mature skin cells

→ Gut (small intestine) stem cells

Using embryonic stem (ES) cells

source: embryo

used for:

• research

• medical reasons → A SCAM

bc: injecting ES cells into damaged tissue doesn’t work since they’re too genetically different & unspecialized

Using Skin stem cells

used for: treating burns & wounds

procedure: autograft (from self) transplantation

Using Blood stem cells

used for: treating blood & bone marrow diseases (ex. leukaemia)

procedure: allograft (other person) transplantation

1. harvest cells from donors pelvis or peripheral blood

2. transplant into pt

Using Cord blood stem cells

source: umbilical cord containing some blood stem cells

used for: research & allografts (to others)

false claims:

1. CANT be used as an autograft (for self), bc if the child does have to blood disease, their cell would be defective

2. CANT treat all diseases, bc blood stem cells are multipoint - THUS, can only be used to treat blood disorders

Examinable content

→ embryonic stem cells are pluripotent

→ adult stem cells are multipotent

→ skin stem cell transplantation is an AUTOgraft procedure

→ blood stem cell transplantation is an ALLOgraft procedure