Year 10 - Science
Using stem cells in medicine: potential benefits, risks and ethical issues
Stem cells and differentiation
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores the function of stem cells and the importance of cell differentiation. It discusses the benefits and risks of stem cell use in medicine, evaluates applications of science, and considers the personal, social, economic, and environmental implications of scientific decisions.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe examples of how embryonic and adult stem cells could be used in medical treatments, including potential benefits, risks and ethical issues.
Key Notes
- Embryonic and adult stem cells can be used in treatments to make new specialised cells to replace damaged ones.
- Examples include using stem cells to treat type 1 diabetes and bone marrow transplants for leukaemia.
- Transplanting stem cells into a patient has risks (e.g. immune rejection, cancer from uncontrolled division, infection).
- Ethical objections to harvesting embryos as a source of embryonic stem cells.
- Debating benefits versus risks and ethical issues.
Vocabulary To Learn
- embryonic stem cell: A cell taken from the embryo that can differentiate into any type of specialised cell.
- adult stem cell: A cell found in specific regions of the body that can differentiate into a limited number of related specialised cells.
- specialised cell: A differentiated cell that is adapted to carry out a particular function.
- immune rejection: When a patient's immune system attacks non-self cells (e.g. transplants).
- ethical: An ethical issue relates to whether an action and its consequences are right or wrong.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- That stem cells can treat more diseases than they have been proved to. All stem cells used are taken from embryos.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
Embryonic and adult stem cells can be used in treatments to make new specialised cells to replace damaged ones. Examples include using stem cells to treat type 1 diabetes and bone marrow transplants for leukaemia.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'embryonic stem cell'
A cell taken from the embryo that can differentiate into any type of specialised cell. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: That stem cells can treat more diseases than they have been proved to. All stem cells used are taken from embryos. Correction: Introducing the idea of induced stem cells and adult stem cells in treatments, but also that the main use is in research rather than full treatment of a disease or condition.
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