Questions and Answers
What is the unique characteristic of stem cells?
They have the ability to develop into any type of cell
Which type of stem cell has the potential to develop into any cell type?
Embryonic stem cells
What is a key application of stem cells in medicine?
Repairing damaged organs
Which factor raises social and ethical debates around stem cells?
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Why can't specialized cells change their fate once determined during the embryo stage?
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Study Notes
- Each cell in our body is specialized for a specific function and cannot change its fate once determined during the embryo stage.
- Stem cells are unique cells that have the ability to develop into any type of cell because they are not specialized, holding potential for repairing damaged organs and treating diseases.
- There are two types of stem cells in humans: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells, with embryonic stem cells being unspecialized and having the ability to develop into any cell type.
- Stem cells are already being used in medical treatments, such as rebooting the immune system of multiple sclerosis patients and repairing damage to the cornea.
- Social and ethical considerations around stem cells include therapeutic cloning, where an embryo is cloned to extract stem cells for growing specific organs, raising debates on the beginning of life and ethical concerns.
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