Supplying the cell — OCR GCSE Biology
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Supplying the cell explained
Stem cells are undifferentiated biological cells that retain the capacity to divide continuously by mitosis and differentiate into specialized cell types.
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In animals, stem cells exist at two main stages of life: embryonic stem cells found in early mammalian embryos (blastocysts), and adult stem cells situated in specific mature tissues such as bone marrow, skin, and brain. In plants, stem cells reside within specialized growing regions called meristems, predominantly located at the tips of growing roots and apical shoot buds, as well as in the vascular cambium.
Your focus
- Recall the defining characteristics of undifferentiated stem cells.
- Identify the presence of embryonic and adult stem cells in animals.
- Identify meristematic regions as the source of stem cells in plants.
Supplying the cell exam tips
Marking Points
- recalling that stem cells are undifferentiated cells capable of division and differentiation
- identifying early embryos and adult tissues (such as bone marrow) as sources of animal stem cells
- identifying meristems at growing root and shoot tips as the source of plant stem cells
Examiner Tips
- 💡Remember the three sources: embryonic stem cells (embryos), adult stem cells (bone marrow), and plant stem cells (meristems).
- 💡Specify the location of plant meristems: growing tips of shoots and roots.
Common Mistakes
- thinking adult animals have no stem cells at all, forgetting adult stem cells in bone marrow and skin
- confusing plant meristem tissue with mature differentiated plant tissues such as xylem or mesophyll