Genetics > Differentiate: The Stem Cell Card Game

Hi, my name is Liz. Today we're going to play a card game called Differentiate! In this game, you're scientists who are studying stem cells. To win, be the first to differentiate or grow three new kinds of cells in your lab. Start by downloading the different PDFs from the Ology website. Now, let's make the cards. First, print the cards on one side of heavy paper or card stock. Then, print the pattern on the other side. This will help keep the faces of the cards from showing through. Cut the cards to make your deck. There are 130 cards total. So be sure to shuffle the deck really well. Shuffle at least seven times. All right, we're ready to play. This game is for two to four players, so grab a couple friends. 

The middle of the table is the human body, where players will all work together to differentiate or grow new cells. The area right in front of you is your lab. Each player places the My Stem Cell lab sheet in front of them. This is where you will work on your own to grow new cells. And the first player to differentiate three kinds of cells in their lab wins the game.

All right, so how do you differentiate cells in this game? It works a little differently in the human body and in the lab, and I'll show you how. In both, you differentiate cells by forming chains of cards.

In the human body, there are four cards in the chain. When it's your turn, just place one or more cards from left to right in this order. Totipotent, pluripotent, multipotent, and differentiated. The totipotent and pluripotent stem cell cards are always the first two cards in the chain. In these two stages, the stem cells can still be differentiated into any kind of specialized cell.

A multipotent stem cell card is always the third card in the chain. Now there are three types of multipotent cards, in three different colors, representing the three different germ layers. So you can play either an endoderm, a mesoderm, or an ectoderm card. The stem cell is now sorted into a germ layer.

The fourth and final card is a differentiated stem cell card and it completes the chain. There are six options, two from each germ layer. So next to an endoderm multipotent card, you can play a lung or pancreas card. Next to a mesoderm multipotent card, you can play a heart muscle or red blood cell card. And next to an ectoderm multipotent card, you can play a skin or neuron card.

These cells have now grown into specialized cells. It's super easy. Just make sure the third and fourth cards in the same chain are the same color and you're all set.

OK. So that was how you would form chains in the human body in the middle of the table. Remember, all players will work together to form many different chains of cards here.

Now in the lab, you're working on your own. And the first person to differentiate three kinds of cells in their lab wins the game. If you look at your lab sheet, you'll notice that there are just three cards in the chain. And you'll see that the first card in the sequence is an induced pluripotent card. This is a super special card.

Why is it so special? Well, in real life, scientists have figured out a way to take an adult cell and induce it back into a stem cell. They call it an induced pluripotent stem cell or IPS for short. And that's what this card represents.

Anyway, an induced pluripotent card starts a chain in your lab. And you do that by using an IPS card from your hand to pick up a completed chain in the human body. Swoop it up. And stack all five cards in one of the rectangles in the first column of your lab with the IPS card on top.

You have now induced a differentiated cell back into a pluripotent stem cell in your lab. And then it can turn into a completely different kind of specialized cell. And from there, you just follow the same process. When you can play a multipotent card, just move an unattached IPS stack to the row that matches that card.

And the differentiated card completes the chain. Here-- I'll use another IPS card to scoop up another chain. Now notice on your sheet that you'll need one cell chain for each germ layer.

The first player to get all three kinds of cells is the winner. But winning isn't that easy. At any point in the game, you might pick up a cell death card. This card won't affect any card chains in the human body or any finished chains in your lab. But it will kill any unfinished chains in your lab.

After shuffling, let's deal the cards. The person with the next birthday is going to be the dealer. First, the dealer will take four Totipotent cards out of the deck and place them face up in the middle of the table. These cards will give all of you a head start in forming chains together in the human body.

Shuffle the deck of cards again. Deal four cards face down to each player. This is the player's hand. Keep it hidden from other players. Place the deck face down in the middle of the table. This will be the draw pile. Next to it will be the discard pile, where you'll place cards face up as you discard. If the draw pile ever runs out of cards, just shuffle the discard pile to become the new draw pile.

Now, everyone, look at your hand. Here's a peek at mine. Starting with the person to the left of the dealer and then going clockwise, do the following. If you have a Totipotent card, put it anywhere in the middle of the table. If you have a Pluripotent card, put it next to any unattached Totipotent card on the table.

If there are no available Totipotent cards, hold onto your Pluripotent card until a turn when you can play it. And if you pick up a Cell Death card, whoo, just put it back in the discard pile, since no one has started a chain in the lab yet. Then, pick up additional cards from the drawer pile so that there are four cards in your hand. Repeat this step if you get another Toti, Pluri, or Cell Death card. I'm good.

On a turn, a player may do one of the following-- one, you can play any number of cards to form chains in the human body or in your lab. For example, I can play cards to form chains in the human body. And I can play cards to form chains in the lab all within the same turn.

Two, you can swap any number of cards in your hand. Just place them face up in the discard pile and pick up the same number of cards from the draw pile. This action completes your turn.

Or three, if you can't or don't want to do anything, you can always pass.

At the end of your turn, replenish your hand by picking up one, two, three, or four cards from the drawer pile so that your hand has a total of four cards again. And if you pick up a Totipotent, Pluripotent, or Cell Death card, you must play it immediately.

Remember, Totipotent and Pluripotent cards go in the human body. And the Cell Death card goes in your lab. Oh, no. It just killed an unfinished chain in my lab. Grab the entire chain and put it into the discard pile.

All right. I think that's all you need to know. Have fun and the first scientist to make three new cells in their lab, one in each germ layer, wins.