Stem Cells (Edexcel GCSE Biology)

A stem cell is an undifferentiated cell that can divide an unlimited number of times. Stem cells can give rise to more stem cells, as well as differentiating into other cell types.

The function of stem cells in animals is to:

• enable embryos to form all of the tissues and organs needed during development

• replace dead and damaged cells in adult organisms

True.

Embryonic stem cells can differentiate into most, or in some cases all, cell types. This enables them to form the tissues and organs needed during development.

Meristem tissue is a type of plant tissue that contains stem cells. Cell division in meristems leads to plant growth, e.g. root and shoot tips contain meristem tissue.

Stem cells could potentially treat diseases such as diabetes by replacing damaged/unhealthy cells with healthy stem cells, which can continually divide to form more healthy cells.

True.

Stem cells cultured in a lab can become infected. Infection can then be passed to patients during therapy.

A potential benefit of being able to use a patient's own stem cells in medical treatment is that stem cells from the same patient would not be rejected by the patient's immune system.

Mutations in stem cells increase the likelihood that stem cells will divide uncontrollably, potentially causing cancer in a patient.

True.

Many have ethical concerns around the use of embryonic stem cells in medicine. These concerns are related to whether or not embryos should have human rights. Concerns include:

• destruction of embryos

• embryos cannot give consent

• embryos are treated as a commodity