Name: __________________________________________
Stem Cell Therapies: A “Miracle Drug?”
Remember from our previous discussions that stem cells have the ability to develop into lots of different cell types. They
serve as a repair system, dividing to replenish other cells as long as the organism remains alive. When a stem cell divides,
the two daughter cells it produces have two options: 1) remain a stem cell or 2) become another type of cell with a
specialized function, such as a neuron, a skin cell, or a white blood cell.
Stem Cell Review
Visit the website “Stem Cell Basics” (http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics1.asp) and read the first two paragraphs to
answer the following question:
1. What are the two defining characteristics of stem cells?
How are stem cells being used to treat disease?
Click on the following link (http://www.edheads.org/activities/stem2/ ) to visit an animation that explores the use of stem
cells in treating leukemia. You may listen to the animation or view a transcript for each section at the bottom of the page.
*NOTE: During this simulation, you will be prompted to print a worksheet. You do not need to do this!*
1. Watch and listen to the first part of the introduction. What does AML stand for?
2. What is leukemia, and what does it have to do with stem cells?
3. What symptoms might a person have who is suffering from leukemia?
4. Why does a person with leukemia have high rates of infections such as colds and the flu?
Wendy.
Continue following along with the simulation by selecting “meet” and treat
5. How can the general public help to increase the survival rates of leukemia patients who are not Caucasian?
6. What are the risks of a bone marrow transplant?
After selecting the donor match for Wendy, follow along the simulation to learn the steps of treatment. You may also
want to reference this website http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/stemcells/sctoday/ to learn exactly how bone
marrow transplants work.
7. Describe what happens in each of the following steps of Wendy’s treatment:
a. Conditioning:
b. Administer new stem cells taken from the donor (please describe how these cells were obtained and how
they are transplanted into Wendy):
c. Waiting period (please describe why Wendy’s friends cannot visit her during this time and what the
doctors are waiting for as a signal that Wendy can go home):
8. Why did Wendy need to undergo radiation treatment before receiving a bone marrow transplant?
9. Pretend that a 5th grader asks you, “What is the point of a bone marrow transplant?” What would you tell them?
(Make sure to include something about stem cells in your answer)
You may close the module after reaching the point where Wendy goes home.
10. Take a few moments to brainstorm other diseases or health problems you think may be successfully treated using
stem cell therapies. Write down at least 3 diseases below, and next to the disease, write which type of stem cells
can be used to treat it.
11. Choose one of the diseases you thought may be a potential target for stem cell therapies and do a little research to
answer the following questions.
a. What disease are you researching?
b. What are the symptoms of this disease?
c. Are stem cells currently being used to treat this disease? If so, how? If not, why not?
d. Use your findings from your research to design a simple public announcement arguing for or against
funding for stem cell therapies to treat this disease. Your public announcement should surround on the
issue of whether or not using stem cells to treat this disease would be useful, not the ethicality of using
stem cells – we will talk about that debate during our next two class periods, so please devote this time to
exploring the usefulness of stem cell therapies. You may design this in any way—make a comic using
Microsoft Paint, make a flyer using Microsoft Publisher, write a song and paste the lyrics below… be
creative. Paste your public announcement in the space below. Note: if you are making a flyer, comic, or
other illustration and cannot simple click “copy” and “paste” to insert your creation, you can click “Ctrl
+ PrtSc” to take a screenshot of your announcement and paste it below. You may also turn it in as
another attachment when you email this worksheet to parkland.ib.biology@gmail.com. Please do NOT
turn in a hard copy of your announcement; everything should be turned in digitally!