Limitations and Risks of Stem Cell Therapy Flashcards

1️⃣ Familiarise yourself with the flashcards:

  • Look through all the flashcards to see what's on both sides.
  • Make sure you understand the information on each card. If something's unclear, click the link to the revision notes at the bottom of the page for more details.

2️⃣ Test yourself:

  • Look at the question or prompt on each card and try to remember the answer before flipping it over.
  • Check the answer and make a note of any cards you find challenging and need to go over more.

3️⃣ Consistently Review and Practice:

  • Use spaced repetition: spend more time on the cards you struggle with and go over them more often.
  • Regularly review all the flashcards to help you better understand and retain the information over time.

Note: We may include questions that have multiple correct answers. It's useful to remember specific examples to understand these concepts better.

PERSONALISED 1-TO-1 TUTORING

Need more help on this topic? Get 1-to-1 support

Get support with clear explanations, practice and feedback (Ages 5 to 16).

  • DBS-checked tutors
  • Flexible times
  • Parents can be updated

Want an ad-free experience? Subscribe to remove ads

What is one medical risk when stem cells come from another person?

The patient’s immune system may reject the cells and attack them.

How can doctors lower the risk of rejection, and what new risk does this cause?

They give immunosuppressant drugs, which make infections more likely.

Why can stem cell therapy increase the risk of cancer?

Stem cells divide many times, and if this is not controlled they can form tumours.

Why is it difficult to be sure stem cells will turn into the right type of cell?

Because the signals that make stem cells specialise are complex and not fully understood.

What might happen if transplanted stem cells turn into the wrong type of cell?

They may not repair the damage and could cause new problems in the tissue or organ.

Why is there a risk of infection from stem cell therapy, even with a patient’s own cells?

The cells are grown in a lab and can pick up bacteria or viruses if equipment is not sterile.

What is one limitation of stem cell therapy linked to long-term effects?

The long-term effects are not fully known, so there may be side effects years later.

Why can finding suitable stem cells be a limitation for some patients?

It can be hard to find matching donors or enough stem cells of the right type.

Why is stem cell therapy not yet used for every disease?

It is complex, needs more research and trials, and may not be safe or effective for all diseases.

How do cost and complexity limit the use of stem cell therapy?

The treatment is very expensive and needs skilled staff and special labs, so few places can offer it.