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Year 10
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Using stem cells in medicine: potential benefits, risks and ethical issues

I can describe examples of how embryonic and adult stem cells could be used in medical treatments, including potential benefits, risks and ethical issues.

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New
New
Year 10
Edexcel
Higher

Using stem cells in medicine: potential benefits, risks and ethical issues

I can describe examples of how embryonic and adult stem cells could be used in medical treatments, including potential benefits, risks and ethical issues.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Embryonic and adult stem cells can be used in treatments to make new specialised cells to replace damaged ones.
  2. Examples include using stem cells to treat type 1 diabetes and bone marrow transplants for leukaemia.
  3. Transplanting stem cells into a patient has risks (e.g. immune rejection, cancer from uncontrolled division, infection).
  4. Ethical objections to harvesting embryos as a source of embryonic stem cells.
  5. Debating benefits versus risks and ethical issues.

Common misconception

That stem cells can treat more diseases than they have been proved to. All stem cells used are taken from embryos.

Introducing the idea of induced stem cells and adult stem cells in treatments, but also that the main use is in research rather than full treatment of a disease or condition.

Keywords

  • Embryonic stem cell - A cell taken from the embryo that can differentiate into any type of specialised cell.

  • Adult stem cell - A cell found in specific regions of the body that can differentiate into a limited number of related specialised cells.

  • Specialised cell - A differentiated cell that is adapted to carry out a particular function.

  • Immune rejection - When a patient’s immune system attacks non-self cells (e.g. transplants).

  • Ethical - An ethical issue relates to whether an action and its consequences are right or wrong.

The lesson provides many examples of the use of stem cells as potential treatments. You can choose which ones to use with your class. Allow pupils to research different uses of stem cells in Task A, e.g. heart disease, osteoarthritis and blindness, and to present their research in different ways.
Teacher tip

Equipment

None required.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
True or false? Egg cells contain a nucleus.
Correct answer: true
false
Q2.
What is the role of the immune system?
to produce hormones
to transport materials
gas exchange
to digest food
Correct answer: to fight infection
Q3.
Match the specialised cell to its adaptations that help it carry out its role.
Correct Answer:sperm cell,A tail to help it move.

A tail to help it move.

Correct Answer:muscle cell,Many mitochondria to provide energy for contraction.

Many mitochondria to provide energy for contraction.

Correct Answer:red blood cell,Biconcave shape to provide a large surface area for diffusion.

Biconcave shape to provide a large surface area for diffusion.

Correct Answer:palisade mesophyll cell,Contains chloroplasts for photosynthesis.

Contains chloroplasts for photosynthesis.

Q4.
True or false? Embryonic stem cells can only differentiate into a limited and related number of cells.
true
Correct answer: false
Q5.
The Oak students are discussing diabetes. Who is incorrect?
Correct answer: Andeep: Diabetes is where you have eaten too much sugar.
Sofia: There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2.
Sam: Diabetes is when a person cannot control their blood sugar levels.
Correct answer: Lucas: Type 1 diabetes is where cells in the pancreas produce too much insulin.
Q6.
Select the option which correctly describes where bone marrow is found and one of its roles.
Bone marrow is found in bones, where it produces new bones.
Bone marrow is found on the surface of bones, where it helps them grow.
Correct answer: Bone marrow is found inside bones, where it produces red and white blood cells.
Bone marrow is found on the surface of bones, where it provides strength.
Bone marrow is found inside the bones, where it provides strength.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
The two types of stem cells in humans are adult stem cells and stem cells.
Correct Answer: embryonic, embryo
Q2.
Which diseases can stem cells be used to help treat or have the potential to treat in the future?
Correct answer: nerve tissue damage
tuberculosis
Correct answer: diabetes
flu
Correct answer: Parkinson’s disease
Q3.
Which is not a current use of stem cells?
Correct answer: clone humans
grow tissues for transplant
replace cells damaged by drug treatments
replace cells damaged by disease
Q4.
Why do some people object to the harvesting of embryos as a source of embryonic stem cells?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: embryos could be considered as living
embryos are difficult to make
embryos are expensive
embryonic stem cells can only differentiate into a few types of cells
Q5.
Which of the following are risks of using stem cells?
the access to embryonic stem cells is limited
Correct answer: viruses can spread between stem cells in culture
there is difficulty in recruiting stem cell donors
Correct answer: stem cells can be rejected by the patient's body
Q6.
Which type of stem cells are likely to cause an immune rejection?
adult stem cells from the patient
Correct answer: embryonic stem cells from a donor
Correct answer: adult stem cells from a donor