9 There is a shortage of kidneys for organ transplants - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 9 - 2022 - Paper 1
Question 9
9 There is a shortage of kidneys for organ transplants.
Scientists are investigating how to grow kidneys using genetically modified pig embryos.
Figure 8 shows thi... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:9 There is a shortage of kidneys for organ transplants - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 9 - 2022 - Paper 1
Step 1
State why the embryo of the pig must be engineered so it does not grow pig kidneys.
96%
114 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
The embryo of the pig must be engineered so it does not grow pig kidneys to prevent competition between the pig and the human organ, ensuring that the human kidneys can form properly in the pig.
Step 2
Explain why human stem cells are used for this process.
99%
104 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
Human stem cells are used because they are unspecialized and can differentiate into any type of cell, including kidney cells. This capability allows for the production of human kidney tissue that is less likely to be rejected when transplanted into a human.
