BRAINCAKEUsing Embryonic Stem Cells
Embryonic stem cells are taken from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, an early embryo about 5 days after fertilisation. At this stage the embryo is a hollow ball of only around 100 cells.
Properties
• They are pluripotent, so they can become any cell type of the body.
• They can divide indefinitely in culture, giving a large supply of cells.
Sources
• Spare embryos from IVF treatment, donated with the parents' consent.
• Embryos made by therapeutic cloning, which are genetically matched to a patient.
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Key terms in this lesson
- blastocyst
- An early embryo, formed about five days after fertilisation, consisting of a hollow ball of cells with an outer trophoblast layer and an inner cell mass.
- pluripotent
- Describes a cell able to differentiate into any type of body cell, but not extra-embryonic tissues such as the placenta.
- teratoma
- A tumour of disorganised tissues that can form if undifferentiated stem cells are transplanted into the body.
More in Gene Expression
- Diseases that Could Be Treated
- Type I Diabetes
- Damaged Nerves
- Organs for Transplants
- Stem Cell Success
- Ethical Questions
- Advantages of Therapeutic Cloning
- Advantages of iPS Cells
All 39 lessons in Gene Expression · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics