2. Definition
• A cell that has the ability to continuously
divide and differentiate (develop) into
various other kinds of cells/tissues.
#
3. Introduction
• “Células madre” is a Spanish word for stem
cell.
• Stem cells are “mother” cells that give rise to
all other cells in the body.
• They are cells found in all multicellular
organisms that can undergo mitosis to give
rise to specialized cells, or more stem cells.
#
4. Special Characteristics of all
Stem Cells
• Self-renewal (proliferation)- the ability of a stem
cell to clone itself indefinitely by cell division.
• Asymmetric cell division.
• Relocation and Differentiation are abilities of
stem cells to “migrate” to where they’re needed
in the body and specialize into a particular type
of mature cell.
#
6. Kinds of Stem Cells
Stem cell
type Description Examples
Cells from early
Each cell can develop
Totipotent (1-3 days)
into a new individual
embryos
Some cells of
Cells can form any
Pluripotent blastocyst (5 to
(over 200) cell types
14 days)
Cells differentiated, Fetal tissue, cord
Multipotent but can form a number blood, and adult
of other tissues stem cells
#
9. Embryonic stem cells
• come from embryos
• This stage embryo is called a Blastocyst.
(4-5 days old embryo)
• can self-renew forever.
• are pluripotent – they can differentiate to
become almost every cell in the body.
• Can be used for treatments for Paralysis,
Diabetes, Alzheimer’s.
#
10. Generates every cell in the body
including the placenta and extra-
Can form the entire embryonic tissues
human being
Can generate every cell in the
Cannot form the entire
body except placenta and extra-
human being
embryonic tissues
Become specific
cell types are less
flexible than above
#
11. Somatic/ adult stem cells
• found in adult tissue.
• can self-renew many times.
• are multipotent – they can differentiate to
become only the types of cells in the tissue
they come from.
#
How are stem cells different than all other cells? “ Células madre,” Spanish for “stem cells,” reveals that these “mother” cells are responsible for certain cell lineages In culture, a stem cell will reproduce itself forever if given the right environment. Non-stem cells stop dividing after a certain number of divisions. (Draw on board) Stem cell divides into two daughter cells; one remains a stem cell, while the other turns into a more specialized cell Stem cells can travel around the body and turn into tissues that the body needs. (example get a cut, cells migrate over and replace damaged tissue) Now Laurel will talk more about differentiation.
