or

Well done, PLURI IS NOW A MULTIPOTENT STEM CELL. This means Pluri can now BECOME:

BLOOD CELL  >

LEVELLED UP!

<

MUSCLE CELL  >

BONE CELL  >

LIVER CELL  >

LUNG CELL  >

PANCREAS CELL  >

Pluri IS NOW A BONE

SELECT AGAIN >

CONGRATULATIONS!

Pluri IS NOW A MUSCLE

Pluri IS NOW BLOOD

 SELECT AGAIN >

Pluri IS NOW A SET OF LUNGS

Pluri IS NOW A LIVER

Pluri IS NOW A PANCREAS

CURRENT POTENCY LEVEL:

> PLURIPOTENT

CURRENT POTENCY LEVEL: PLURIPOTENT > MULTIPOTENT

PLURIPOTENT

> MULTIPOTENT

> DIFFERENTIATED

START!

LET’S GO!

“Hi my name’s Pluri, I’m a stem cell. Can you help me level up?”

>

Pluripotent stem cells are found in the early stages of a developing embryo and can become any cell type in the body. After around 3 weeks of embryo formation, the stem cells develop into 3 different cell types or “germ layers”, which then differentiate into specialised cell types.

WHAT IS A PLURIPOTENT STEM CELL?

MESODERM  >

Endoderm

A cell from the ENDODERM layer of an embryo can become cells that form the stomach, small intestine, liver pancreas and parts of the lungs.

SELECT A GERM LAYER TO LEVEL UP!

ECTODERM  >

Ectoderm

Mesoderm

A cell in the ectoderm forms the outer layer of the embryo, and can develop into cells that form the skin, hair, nails, brain, spinal cord and retina.

A cell from the mesoderm layer goES on to form specialised cells such as muscle, bone, cartilage, connective tissue and the spleen.

What should Pluri GROW into?

ENDODERM  >

SKIN CELL  >

NERVE CELL  >

Pluri IS NOW skin tissue

Pluri IS NOW A BRAIN

We constantly need to make new cells to keep our body and tissues functioning. Some specialised cells, e.g. blood and muscle cells, are unable to make copies of themselves through cell division. Instead they are replenished from populations of stem cells.

Stem cells are a “cell source” that are found in various parts of the body that work to replenish specialised cells that have been used up or damaged.

Stem cells have some amazing and unique characteristics that make them incredibly special...

They are unspecialised and have the ability to divide and replicate themselves – almost limitlessly – a process called “self-renewal”.

Under the right conditions they can become different cell types – this process is called differentiation.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT Types of stem cells?

Embryonic stem cells: Found in very early stages of a developing embryo – these can differentiate into any cell type found in the body, making them “pluripotent”. Adult stem cells: Found in our bodies throughout our lives – these can only become a limited amount of cell types in the specific tissue that they are located in. They are termed “multipotent”. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: These are specialised tissue cells that have been “reprogrammed” in the lab to become pluripotent (be able to differentiate into all cell types).

WANT TO SEE HOW STEM CELLS LEVEL UP?

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WHAT ARE STEM CELLS?

WHAT ARE STEM CELLS?

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