A Stem Cell Story: Quick Quiz

Image: Dr David Becker/Wellcome Images

This quiz is intended for use with the film A Stem Cell Story, available at www.eurostemcell.org/films

1. What is a stem cell?

A A cell that can make copies of itself AND make more specialized types of cell

B A cell that helps to fight against infections C A cell that is specialized

D A cell that can produce all the cell types of the body Image: Oliver Burston/Wellcome Images

2. Where can scientists obtain stem cells?

A Only from an embryo

B Only from tissues in the body

C Only from the brain

D From an embryo or tissues in the body

Images (clockwise from top):

Dr David Becker, Heidi Cartwright, Oliver Burston/Wellcome Images

A Only brain stem cells and specialized brain cells

B All types of specialized cells C Only cells that can produce insulin

D Only cells that can produce artificial skin

3. Embryonic stem cells can differentiate into which types of cell?

Image: Annie Cavanagh/Wellcome Images

4. Neural stem cells from the brain can differentiate into which types of cell?

A Only specialized brain cells

B Specialized brain cells and specialized skin cells C All types of specialized cells

D Only specialized blood cellsImage: Heidi Cartwright/Wellcome Images

A All parts of the patient’s skin

B Hair follicles and sweat glands

C The outermost layer of the skin

D All parts of the skin except sweat glands

5. In the treatment of burns, scientists can use stem cells to help them replace…

Image: Anne Weston, LRI, CRUK/Wellcome Images

A Antibodies

B Proteins and sugars

C Salts

D Other cells

6. What are cells ‘fed’ when they are grown in a lab? 

Image: Wellcome Library, London

A A very early stage embryo

B A type of stem cell

C Part of the blood system

D A type of brain cell

7. A blastocyst is…

Yorgos Nikas/Wellcome Images

A At weekends

B When blood supplies are low

C During fertility treatment

D Whenever scientists are studying cells

8. When are blastocycsts created in a laboratory?

K. Hardy/Wellcome Images

A We are not sure what roles stem cells play in the body

B They produce new specialized cells to replace cells that die or get used up C They fight against infections

D They perform specialized roles in the body (e.g. produce insulin, transmit signals in the nervous system, …)

9. What are the roles of stem cells in our bodies?

Image: Wellcome Library, London

A When and how embryonic stem cells make decisions to produce more specialized cells

B How stem cells work in the body C How stem cells might be used to treat disease

D All of the above

10. What are stem cell scientists investigating today?

Image: Wellcome Library, London

Images © Wellcome Images. Contact images@wellcome.ac.uk should you wish to use any of the images outside the context of this quiz.

Thanks to Dr Christele Gonneau for development of the bulk of the content of the quiz.

Thanks to Liberton High School, Edinburgh, UK for allowing us to trial the quiz with their students and providing helpful feedback.

Acknowledgements