Review Questions

• Name 3 properties that all stem cells (both embryonic and adult) have in common.
  
  
• What are transit-amplifying cells?
  
  
• What are the 2 cell layers that exist in the embryonic blastocyst? Which of these layers contains ES cells?
  
  
• Which of the following can describe an ES cell, and what does it mean? Totipotent, multipotent, unipotent.
• Which of the following can describe an adult stem cell, and what does it mean? Totipotent, multipotent, unipotent.
  
  
• Give an example of a multipotent adult stem cell and a unipotent stem cell.
  
  
• Name two functions of adult stem cells.
  
  
• What is the main concern with human embryonic stem cell research and their potential use in regenerative medicine?
  
  
• Name a method for producing ES-like cells from an adult somatic cell.
• What are the potential advantages of these alternative methods over ES cells obtained from human embryos?