Stem Cells Quiz: Test Your Knowledge on Stem Cell Biology

5 Questions

What are stem cells?

Cells that divide to produce specialized cells

What is the main difference between embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells?

Embryonic stem cells can differentiate into any type of body cell, while adult stem cells have limited differentiation specific to their tissue origin

How can embryonic stem cells be recreated to avoid ethical issues?

By replacing the egg cell's genome with an adult's genome or by introducing specific genes into an adult skin cell

What is an example of an adult stem cell?

Blood cells, which can differentiate to fulfill the body's increasing demand for oxygen

How are stem cells similar to branches on a tree?

They produce specialized cells, similar to how branches produce leaves, fruits, and small branches

Study Notes

Stem Cells

Stem cells are cells that have the ability to develop into different cell types in the body.

Embryonic Stem Cells vs. Adult Stem Cells

Embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos and have the ability to develop into any cell type in the body.
Adult stem cells are found in adult tissues and have a more limited ability to develop into different cell types.

Recreating Embryonic Stem Cells

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be created from adult cells, such as skin or blood cells, through a process that reprograms the cells to have the same abilities as embryonic stem cells.
This process avoids the ethical issues surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells.

Adult Stem Cells

An example of an adult stem cell is a hematopoietic stem cell, which is found in bone marrow and can develop into different types of blood cells.

Analogy

Stem cells are similar to branches on a tree because they have the ability to differentiate into different cell types, just as a branch can grow into different limbs.