AQA · GCSE · Biology
Course version: 8461 · Version from Sept 2018
Treatment with stem cells may be able to help conditions such as diabetes…
Full specification wording
Stem cells: Treatment with stem cells may be able to help conditions such as diabetes and paralysis.
Stem cell therapy is an area of medicine that aims to replace damaged or missing cells.
Checked against the AQA 8461 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 6 of 11
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Stem cell therapy is an area of medicine that aims to replace damaged or missing cells. In diabetes, some cases involve cells in the pancreas that no longer produce enough insulin; stem cells might be guided to become functioning pancreas cells. In paralysis, damage to nerve cells in the spinal cord may be irreversible; stem cells might be used to replace or repair those nerve cells. The word may is important because many of these treatments are still being researched and are not yet routine. Scientists must test safety and effectiveness, and there are ethical issues around the use of embryos as a stem cell source. A balanced answer should present both the potential benefit and the uncertainty or ethical concerns.
What earns the marks
- State that stem cell treatment aims to replace damaged or missing cells.
- Link stem cells to a named condition, such as diabetes or paralysis.
- Explain how stem cells could help in diabetes, for example by producing insulin-secreting pancreas cells.
- Explain how stem cells could help in paralysis, for example by replacing damaged nerve cells.
- Recognise that these treatments are still being developed and may not yet be routine or guaranteed to work.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Writing that stem cell treatment definitely cures diabetes or paralysis.
Put it right by using may or could to show that the treatments are still being researched.
Describing stem cells as a single type with no distinction.
Put it right by referring to embryonic or adult stem cells where relevant.
Ignoring ethical issues when the question asks for evaluation.
Put it right by including concerns about embryo use alongside potential benefits.
Exam tips
- Use conditional language such as may, could or might when describing future treatments.
- Name the specific cell type affected in each condition to show understanding.
- If the question asks for an evaluation, give both a benefit and a concern before reaching a conclusion.
Try the lesson
The start of the Stem cells: Treatment with stem cells may be able to help conditions such as diabetes and paralysis. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Stem cell treatment is being researched as a possible way to help people with which condition?
Listen
Stem cell therapy is an area of medicine that aims to replace damaged or missing cells. In diabetes, some cases involve cells in the pancreas that no longer produce enough insulin; stem cells might be guided to become functioning pancreas cells. In paralysis, damage to nerve cells in the spinal cord may be irreversible; stem cells might be used to replace or repair those nerve cells. The word may is important because many of these treatments are still being researched and are not yet routine. Scientists must test safety and effectiveness, and there are ethical issues around the use of embryos as a stem cell source. A balanced answer should present both the potential benefit and the uncertainty or ethical concerns. A strong answer earns marks for these points. State that stem cell treatment aims to replace damaged or missing cells. Link stem cells to a named condition, such as diabetes or paralysis. Explain how stem cells could help in diabetes, for example by producing insulin-secreting pancreas cells. Explain how stem cells could help in paralysis, for example by replacing damaged nerve cells. A common slip: Writing that stem cell treatment definitely cures diabetes or paralysis. Instead, using may or could to show that the treatments are still being researched. Exam tip: Use conditional language such as may, could or might when describing future treatments.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Stem cell therapy
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Diabetes
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Paralysis
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Ethics of stem cell research
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See every definition
- Stem cell therapy
- An area of medicine that aims to replace damaged or missing cells, and may be able to help conditions such as diabetes and paralysis.
- Diabetes
- A condition in which some cases involve cells in the pancreas that no longer produce enough insulin.
- Paralysis
- A condition in which damage to nerve cells in the spinal cord may be irreversible.
- Ethics of stem cell research
- Ethical issues around the use of embryos as a stem cell source, which a balanced answer should present alongside potential benefit.
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