modern advancements in medicine

• What are stem cells?


  Undifferentiated cells
• What can stem cells do?

  Divide and differentiate into specialized cells
• From what does an embryo develop?

  A fertilized egg
• What type of cells are present at early stages of embryo development?

  Stem cells
• What happens if embryonic stem cells are removed from an embryo?

  They will differentiate into any cell type
• What are adult stem cells?

  Stem cells that remain in adult bodies
• What potential do stem cells have in medicine?

  Treating untreatable conditions and growing organs
• How can stem cells be collected?

  From human embryos a few days old
• What is therapeutic cloning?

  Cloning from a patient's own cells
• Why are adult stem cells less useful than embryonic stem cells?

  They can only differentiate into a limited number of cells
• What are the clinical issues related to stem cell research?

  • Not all trials have high success rates
  • Low numbers of cell donors
  • Problems obtaining and storing embryonic stem cells
  • Collection must occur before birth
  • Blood can be stored from umbilical cord
  • Mutated stem cells may behave like cancer cells
  • Cultured cells could be contaminated with viruses
  • Adult stem cells can be rejected unless from the patient
• What is a source of stem cells from IVF?

  Unused embryos produced in IVF
• What ethical issue arises from therapeutic cloning?

  Creating embryos for therapy and destroying them
• What concern exists regarding the perception of embryos?

  They could be viewed as commodities
• At what stage should an embryo be regarded as a person?

  At what stage of development it should be treated
• What social issues are associated with stem cell research?

  • Importance of public education on stem cells
  • Weighing benefits against objections
  • Research often by commercial clinics
  • Reported successes not subject to peer review
  • Patents may exploit patients with false hope
• Why is educating the public about stem cells important?

  To clarify what stem cells can and can't do
• What is a concern regarding commercial clinics in stem cell research?

  Reported successes lack peer review
• What is a risk associated with patents in stem cell therapies?

  Exploitation through expensive treatments
• What is the genome of an organism?

  Entire genetic material of that organism
• How many copies of the genome do diploid body cells have?

  One copy of the entire genome
• When did the Human Genome Project start?

  1990
• When was the Human Genome Project completed?

  2003
• What was the goal of the Human Genome Project?

  To determine the sequence of base pairs in the genome
• Why is mapping the human genome important for medicine?

  It helps understand diseases and treatments
• What are the benefits of understanding the human genome?

  • Search for genes linked to diseases
  • Understand inherited disorders and treatments
  • Trace human migration patterns
• What are the names of the genes associated with breast cancer?

  BRCA1 and BRCA2
• What percentage of inherited breast cancer cases are due to mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2?

  Approximately 10%
• How did scientists detect BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes?

  By studying families with inherited breast cancer
• What is a pedigree analysis?

  A family tree diagram showing inheritance patterns
• What does pedigree analysis help scientists do?

  Illustrate the inheritance pattern of diseases
• How can the presence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes be detected?

  Through a simple blood test
• What medical advances are enabled by the Human Genome Project?

  • Locate genes linked to inherited diseases
  • Develop drugs targeting disease-causing genes
  • Create new gene therapy treatments
  • Develop personalized medicines
• How can identifying genes linked to diseases help doctors?

  It allows for preventative steps before disease occurs
• What is the purpose of developing drugs that target disease-causing genes?

  To directly address the root cause of diseases
• What is gene therapy?

  Inserting normal alleles into chromosomes
• What is the goal of gene therapy for cystic fibrosis?

  To repair faulty alleles in chromosome 7
• What are the steps involved in gene therapy?

  1. Research the gene involved
  2. Cut out the normal allele
  3. Make copies of the allele (PCR)
  4. Insert copies into a modified virus
  5. Deliver the virus into the body
  6. Virus transfers healthy allele into DNA
• What methods are used to deliver alleles into patient cells?

  Using liposomes, cold viruses, or direct injection
• What are the potential advantages of knowing one's risk for non-communicable diseases?

  Enables healthier lifestyle choices and early treatment