Academic Year 2023-24

Unit: Organization in Life Grade: MYP 4

Key concept: Systems Related concept: Pattern, Function
Global context: Identities and relationships (students will explore identity
formation).
SOI: Our identity is determined by the relationship between different patterns and
functioning of the cells which work together to create a larger, functioning system.

Topic: Stem cells

Purpose of the Notes:

The purpose of giving notes for above topics is to provide students with a condensed
and organized summary of the important information and knowledge covered in the
lesson.Notes help students consolidate information, serve as a reference for later
review,visually represent complex ideas and support personalized learning.
Learning outcomes:
 Define stem cells and explain their potential to develop into various cell types.
 Differentiate between embryonic and adult stem cells.
 Describe the applications of stem cells in medical treatments and research.
 Discuss the benefits and risks associated with the use of stem cells in medicine.

Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important?

● Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9db44fBrWrE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evH0I7Coc54

● Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types
in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as
a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish
other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive.
● When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem
cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a
muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.
● Stem cells are distinguished from other cell types by two important characteristics.
o First, they are unspecialized cells capable of renewing themselves
through cell division, sometimes after long periods of inactivity.
 o Second, under certain physiological or experimental conditions, they can be
induced to become tissue- or organ-specific cells with special functions.
● In some organs, such as the gut and bone marrow, stem cells regularly divide to
repair and replace worn out or damaged tissues. In other organs, however, such
as the pancreas and the heart, stem cells only divide under special conditions.

Source: Bbc Bitsize, bam.files.bbci.co.uk/bam/live/content/z8ntfg8/large.

Source: Bbc Bitsize, bam.files.bbci.co.uk/bam/live/content/z8ntfg8/large.

History of Stem cells:

● Until recently, scientists primarily worked with two kinds of stem cells from
animals and humans: embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic "somatic" or
"adult" stem cells.
● Scientists discovered ways to derive embryonic stem cells from early mouse
embryos more than 30 years ago, in 1981. The detailed study of the biology of
 mouse stem cells led to the discovery, in 1998, of a method to derive stem cells
from human embryos and grow the cells in the laboratory.
● These cells are called human embryonic stem cells. The embryos used in these
studies were created for reproductive purposes through in vitro fertilization
procedures.
● When they were no longer needed for that purpose, they were donated for research
with the informed consent of the donor.
● In 2006, researchers made another breakthrough by identifying conditions that
would allow some specialized adult cells to be "reprogrammed" genetically to
assume a stem cell-like state. This new type of stem cell, was called induced
pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

Importance of stem cells:

Source: Mar. 2018, pediaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Copy-of-How-are-Restriction-Enzymes-Used-in-DNA-Fingerprinting-

Infographic.jpg.

● Stem cells are important for living organisms for many reasons. In the 3- to 5-day-
old embryo, called a blastocyst, the inner cells give rise to the entire body of the
organism, including all of the many specialized cell types and organs such as the
heart, lungs, skin, sperm, eggs and other tissues.
● In some adult tissues, such as bone marrow, muscle, and brain, discrete
populations of adult stem cells generate replacements for cells that are lost
through normal wear and tear, injury, or disease.
● Given their unique regenerative abilities, stem cells offer new potentials for
treating diseases such as diabetes, and heart disease. However, much work
 remains to be done in the laboratory and the clinic to understand how to use
these cells for cell-based therapies to treat disease, which is also referred to
as regenerative or reparative medicine.
● Laboratory studies of stem cells enable scientists to learn about the cells’ essential
properties and what makes them different from specialized cell types.
● Scientists are already using stem cells in the laboratory to screen new drugs and
to develop model systems to study normal growth and identify the causes of birth
defects.
● Research on stem cells continues to advance knowledge about how an organism
develops from a single cell and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult
organisms.
● Stem cell research is one of the most fascinating areas of contemporary biology,
but, as with many expanding fields of scientific inquiry, research on stem cells
raises scientific questions as rapidly as it generates new discoveries.

What are the differences between embryonic and adult stem cells?
Source: Mar. 2018, pediaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Copy-of-How-are-Restriction-Enzymes-Used-in-DNA-Fingerprinting-
Infographic.jpg.

Applications of stem cells:

● In people who suffer from type 1 diabetes, the cells of the pancreas that normally
produce insulin are destroyed by the patient's own immune system. New studies
indicate that it may be possible to direct the differentiation of human embryonic
stem cells in cell culture to form insulin-producing cells that eventually could be
used in transplantation therapy for persons with diabetes.
● Scientists manipulate stem cells so that they possess the necessary characteristics
for successful differentiation, transplantation, and engraftment.
● To be useful for transplant purposes, stem cells must be reproducibly made to:
 Proliferate extensively and generate sufficient quantities of cells for making tissue.

 Differentiate into the desired cell type(s).

 Survive in the recipient after transplant.

 Integrate into the surrounding tissue after transplant.

 Function appropriately for the duration of the recipient's life.

 Avoid harming the recipient in any way.

● They could be used to replace cells or tissues that have been damaged or
destroyed, eg:
o in Type 1 diabetes
o in cases of multiple sclerosis, which can lead to paralysis
o in cases of spinal cord or brain injury, that have led to paralysis

Benefits and risks associated with the use of stem cells in medicine:
Stem cells have great potential in treating patients with currently untreatable conditions,
growing organs for transplants, and in scientific research. But there are clinical, ethical
and social issues with their use. These issues will be different for growth and transplant
of adult, embryonic and therapeutically cloned stem cells. They will also depend on
whether the stem cells are to be used for therapy or research. The benefits of the therapy
must be weighed up against any risks and ethical concerns.
It is important to obtain a balanced view. Sometimes, there are no right or wrong
answers, or even answers at all.
Some variables which would be considered when discussing stem cells include:
Clinical issues

● There is no guarantee how successful these therapies will be, for example, the use
of stem cells in replacing nerve cells lost in Parkinson's disease patients.
● The current difficulty in finding suitable stem cell donors.
● The difficulty in obtaining and storing a patient's embryonic stem cells. These
would have to be collected before birth - some clinics offer to store blood from the
umbilical cord when a person is born.
● Mutations have been observed in stem cells cultured for a number of generations,
and some mutated stem cells have been observed to behave like cancer cells.
● Cultured stem cells could be contaminated with viruses which would be
transferred to a patient.

Ethical issues

● A source of embryonic stem cells is unused embryos produced by in vitro

fertilisation (IVF).
● Embryos could come to be viewed as a commodity, and not as an embryo that
could develop into a person.
● At what stage of its development should an embryo be regarded as, and treated as
a person?
Economic issues

 Stem cell research can be expensive due to the need for advanced equipment,
specialized facilities, and skilled researchers. Securing consistent funding for such
research can be a challenge, especially for long-term projects.
 Developing new therapies or treatments based on stem cell research requires
substantial investment in clinical trials, testing, and regulatory approvals. The costs
associated with bringing a stem cell therapy to the market can be significant.
 Though stem cell research can contribute to job creation in various sectors,
including research institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare facilities,
once stem cell therapies are developed, they may come with high price tags due to
the complex manufacturing processes, research costs, and limited availability. This
can raise concerns about equitable access to these treatments, particularly for
individuals with limited financial resources.
Guiding Questions:
1. Outline the differences in embryonic and adult stem cells in terms of their origins and
capabilities?
2. Describe the benefits and risks associated with using stem cells in medical therapies
and research.
3. Explain the potential applications of stem cells in medical treatments, focusing on
conditions like type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

Resources:
Books:
 MYP Biology 4/5: A Concept Based Approach. By- David Mindorff and Andrew Allott
 MYP by concepts 4 & 5. By- Andrew Davis and Patricia

Reference:
 “Stem Cell Basics I.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/1.htm
 https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zghqfcw/revision/8