Stem Cells

Start with the stem cell questions

The Stem Cells flashcard deck is a useful starting point. Its prompts ask what stem cells are, where they are found in humans and why scientists are interested in them. The deck also asks about differentiation, giving you a way to connect that term with the stem cell questions on this page.

Read a prompt and try to answer it before turning to the card. Make a note of any question you want to return to. You can use the same approach with the Cell Division and Stem Cells deck, which includes prompts about chromosomes, DNA, the cell cycle and mitosis.

Connect the ideas with mind maps

After the flashcards, look at the Producing Cells mind map. It brings stem cells and cell division together, with branches on cell types, growth and repair. Use it to organize the terms you have met in the cards and to see which connections you can explain in your own words.

The cell division mind map that covers growth and differentiation also includes branches on stem cells and stem cell dilemmas. The Cells mind map offers a different view, with branches on mitosis, growth, repair and replacement. Comparing the maps can help you move between individual questions and the wider set of ideas.

Use a quiz to check your recall

The science quiz includes questions on pluripotent, multipotent and somatic stem cells, as well as asexual reproduction. Try it after working through the cards and maps. Return to the relevant prompts or branches when you find a term you want to study again.

This topic is one section of Cell Division and the Cell Cycle in Biology and natural sciences. The resources that combine stem cells with cell division give you a route between the topic and its unit. Choose a resource and follow the connections at your own pace.