Download Cell division and the process to therapeutic vs reproductive cloning

Cell division and
embryonic stem cells
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Egg cell
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Sperm cell
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Egg and sperm meet
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Then the magic happens…
the cells begin to divide and replicate
First we have 2
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Then 4
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Then 8
Totipotent
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Then 16 identical cells; we can use these as
embryonic stem cells because they are
identical (totipotent). Soon, they will begin to
specialize
and become
(pluripotent).
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Remember:
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Totipotent cells can become any cell off of the
“total” list of cells.
Pluripotent cells can become many (plural)
different types of cells, but not all.
This is why we want to be able to use the embryo
before it begins to differentiate, so these cells can
grow up to be anything they (we) want (them) to
be.
Pluripotent
These cells in red
Have become
Cells for the
Placenta and
Amniotic
Membrane
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The blue
Cells are
Changing into
The various cells
Of the human body
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The cells shown in red and blue are now
pluripotent. Those are the cells that we will
be able to collect from the umbilical cord at
the time of delivery. They can become many
different cell types, but NOT all different cell
types.
Thus the embryonic stem cells are the most
desirable for research.
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As an adult, we have a
small number of stem
cells (found mostly in
the bones), but they are
already highly
specialized.
We use them in such
cases as bone marrow
transplants.