Question 1

Which of the following best describes the three main processes that transform a fertilized egg into a tadpole?

Accepted Answer

Cell division, differentiation, and morphogenesis

Question 2

During embryonic development, what is the primary difference between cell division and cell differentiation?

Accepted Answer

Cell division increases the number of cells, while cell differentiation specializes cells for specific functions.

Question 3

True or false: All cells of a multicellular embryo have the same genes and alleles. Explain.

Accepted Answer

True; all cells in an organism have the same genome, but gene expression differs.

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of cell differentiation?

Accepted Answer

A stem cell becoming a liver cell

Question 5

How is morphogenesis different from differentiation?

Accepted Answer

Morphogenesis is the complete change of a cell and its structure, while differentiation is the specialization of function and structure.

Question 6

Is the cytoplasm of a fertilized egg homogeneous? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

No; the cytoplasm contains localized determinants that are not evenly distributed.

Question 7

During early cytoplasmic divisions, are the contents of the cytoplasm divided or distributed perfectly evenly (or in half)? Explain.

Accepted Answer

No; uneven distribution of cytoplasmic determinants helps establish developmental fate.

Question 8

What is MyoD, and what is its function in gene regulation?

Accepted Answer

A protein that encodes a transcription factor, activating muscle-specific genes

Question 9

Which cellular process is most likely to occur during apoptosis?

Accepted Answer

The cell packages its organelles and cytoplasmic components into vesicles for engulfment by scavenger cells.

Question 10

True or false: Apoptosis is an important cellular process during embryonic development. Explain.

Accepted Answer

True; apoptosis helps create essential parts of the organism by removing unnecessary cells.

Question 11

Why did tadpoles develop when the frog embryo served as the donor, but not when the adult frog intestinal cell served as the donor in nuclear transfer experiments?

Accepted Answer

The adult frog intestinal cell nucleus was already differentiated and lacked the necessary components to create a tadpole.

Question 12

Which of the following best defines a pluripotent cell?

Accepted Answer

A cell that can give rise to many, but not all, cell types in an organism

Question 13

Which gene is a transcription factor crucial for maintaining the pluripotent and self-renewal state of neural stem cells?

Accepted Answer

Sox2

Question 14

A scientist is attempting to induce pluripotency in adult skin cells. Which combination of genes would most likely be used based on Yamanaka's experiments?

Accepted Answer

Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc

Question 15

Which of the following is a potential medical benefit of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)?

Accepted Answer

Creating cells needed for transplants, such as bone or cartilage

Question 16

Which of the following best describes the difference between embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells?

Accepted Answer

Embryonic stem cells generate all embryonic cell types, while adult stem cells generate a limited number of cell types.

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of a multipotent stem cell?

Accepted Answer

A hematopoietic stem cell in bone marrow that can become several types of blood cells

Question 18

Which process is most directly responsible for the formation of the gradient of gene expression in early embryos?

Accepted Answer

Uneven distribution of cytoplasmic determinants during cell division

Question 19

A researcher observes that after nuclear transfer, the resulting embryo fails to develop past a certain stage. Which of the following is the most likely explanation?

Accepted Answer

The donor nucleus was already differentiated and could not support full development.

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the function of the gene Klf4 in stem cell biology?

Accepted Answer

A transcription factor involved in regulating cell growth, differentiation, and proliferation

Developmental Biology: Cell Differentiation, Gene Expression, and Stem Cells

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