stem cells & Differentiation

Question 1

Stem cells

Answer 1

• self renew (regenerate, proliferate)
• differentiate into specialized cells

Question 2

Differentiation

Answer 2

• stem cells lose potency, become more defined in their destiny, become a specialized cell
• lost ability to proliferate

Question 3

Cell potency

Answer 3

• cells ability to differentiate into other cell types
• more types a cell can differentiate into, the greater the potency

Question 4

Draw the hierarchy of stem cells

Answer 4

• totipotent, pluripotent, multipotent, other stem cells OR blood stem cells

Question 5

totipotent

Answer 5

• give rise to all types of differentiated cells in an organism + extra embryonic structure
• can reproduce whole organism in utero
• fertilized oocyte 8 or 16 cell stage

Question 6

pluripotent

Answer 6

• single cell is capable of differentiating into all tissues of organism, but NO full organismal development
• inner mass cells
• embryonic stem cells

Question 7

What are embryonic stem cells?

Answer 7

• pluripotent
• develop into cells and tissues of three primary germ layers

Question 8

multipotent

Answer 8

• develop into more than one cell type of the body
• hematopoeitic stem cell

Question 9

oligopotent and unipotent

Answer 9

• spermatogonial stem cell

Question 10

progenitor cells

Answer 10

• may divide a lIMITED number of times… differentiate into specific cell type (“target” cell)

Question 11

unlimited proliferation

Answer 11

• zygote, embryonic stem cell, multipotent stem cell

Question 12

limited proliferation

Answer 12

• neuronal progenitor
• differentiating neuronal precursors

Question 13

no proliferation

Answer 13

differentiated cells

Question 14

multipotent stages

Answer 14

• multipotent (can self-proliferate)
• committed stem cell (can self proliferate)
• progenitor cell
• differentiated cells

Question 15

adult stem cells

Answer 15

• somatic stem cells
• main and repair the tissue in which they are found
• maintained in a quiescent state
• not constantly proliferating, only when needed

Question 16

cellular plasticity

Answer 16

• ability of some cells to take on characteristics of other cells

Question 17

stem cell plasticity

Answer 17

• adult, tissue specific cells can change identity
• stem cell phenotypic potential (as opposed to normal cell fate)

Question 18

de-differentiation

Answer 18

• cells regress from a speicialized function to a simple state…

Question 19

trans-differentiation

Answer 19

• conversion of one differentiated cell into another

Question 20

adult cell plasticity in vivo

Answer 20

• can dedifferentiate or transdifferentiate
• can be forced experimentally, or they can occur due to tissue injury/cell loss
• cell plasticity… repression of genes associated with the precious cell type…. activation of genes associated with new cell type
• cells can occupy intermediate identity states that are reversible
• cell plasticity can be driven by factors that induce a new ifentity…. or maintain old identity…