There are all sorts of benefits to studying stem cells. Especially in regards to cancer. The reason that all cells eventually die is that they have something called a TATAA box at the end of their DNA strand. Its simply made up of repeated A and T base pairs in repeditive sequences. Every time the cell devideds a small portion of it is cut off. Eventually it reaches a terminal point where most of the TATAA box has been removed and the cell stops deviding and dies. This does not happen to stem cells (can't remember if it just doesn't get cut or if the base pairs are replaced), once a cell differentiates it stays as whatever cell type it differentiated into and the TATAA box starts getting cut off
( ... )
Comments 1
Reply
Leave a comment