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Cell division, cell diversity and cellular organisation

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Question 8

In a developmental biology study, three distinct populations of mammalian stem cells (designated PPP, QQQ, and RRR) are isolated and their differentiation potentials are analysed:

  • Population PPP: Isolated from a 4-cell embryo. These cells can differentiate into any embryonic cell type as well as extra-embryonic tissues such as the placenta.
  • Population QQQ: Isolated from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst. These cells can differentiate into cells of all three embryonic germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm), but cannot form extra-embryonic tissues.
  • Population RRR: Isolated from the hematopoietic niche of adult bone marrow. These cells can differentiate into erythrocytes, neutrophils, and platelets.

Which of the following options correctly classifies the potency of these three stem cell populations?

A

Population PPP is pluripotent; Population QQQ is totipotent; Population RRR is multipotent

B

Population PPP is totipotent; Population QQQ is pluripotent; Population RRR is multipotent

C

Population PPP is totipotent; Population QQQ is multipotent; Population RRR is unipotent

D

Population PPP is pluripotent; Population QQQ is multipotent; Population RRR is unipotent

Markscheme

Cell division, cell diversity and cellular organisation Questions

  1. A Level
  2. /Biology
  3. /Cell division, cell diversity and cellular organisation

40 exam-style questions on OCR A A Level Biology Cell division, cell diversity and cellular organisation. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.

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