Stem Cells And Meristems
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Describe what a stem cell is
Stem cells are unspecialised s that can develop into any specialised cell type or divide to produce more stem cells (self renew)
What two processes are stem cells involved in?
Differentiation (specialising) Self renewal (copying)
What key feature allows stem cells to differentiate into any cell
They are unspecialised
Why self renew?
Maintains the stem cell pool Growth and repair
Why differentiate?
Replaces dead of damaged cells throughout your life Growth and repair
Where are stem cells found?
Embryos - embryonic stem cells (in the blastocyst - a very early embryo) Tissue- tissue stem cells
Applications of stem cells in modern medicine (stem cell technology)
Repairing damaged heart tissue understand how diseases develop (disease modelling) Testing drugs in a lab
Why is the the use stem cells controversial
Many people disagreed with using stem cells taken from embryos as this destroys the embryo. This is seen as murder to some people
Define the term meristem
Meristems are the site of production of non-specialised cells in plants and are the site for mitosis
Describe a difference between animal and plant growth
Plants only grow at meristems Animals grow all over their body in their tissues
Identify the location of meristems
Root and shoot tips
Give examples of tissues types that meristems cells can differentiate into
Xylem and phloem