Define a stem cell as an undifferentiated cell of an organism capable of giving rise to many more cells of the same type and from which certain other cell types can arise via differentiation.
Describe the function and developmental potential of stem cells found in human embryos, adult animals (such as bone marrow), and plant meristems.
Understand that stem cells derived from human embryos can be cloned and stimulated to differentiate into most types of human cells.
Understand that adult stem cells from bone marrow can differentiate into various cell types, predominantly blood cells.
Describe how meristem tissue in plants retains the ability to differentiate into any type of plant cell throughout the entire life of the plant.
Evaluate the potential of stem cell treatments in assisting medical conditions such as diabetes and paralysis.
Explain the concept of therapeutic cloning, where an embryo is produced with the same genes as the patient to prevent immune rejection of the stem cells during medical treatments.
Assess the potential risks of stem cell usage, such as the transfer of viral infections.
Discuss the ethical and religious objections some people have regarding the sourcing and use of embryonic stem cells.
Describe the application of plant meristem stem cells in quickly and economically producing clones to protect rare species from extinction or to mass-produce crop plants with special features, such as disease resistance.
