Stem cells are one of the wonders of the universe. These cells are the building blocks of our bodies, and cannot only self-replicate almost infinitely, certain stem cells can also become or produce almost any cell type, depending on the circumstances and environment. Although there are risks and controversies, the medical benefits of stem cells are unparalleled by any other medical technology available today, and the field of research is one of the most promising of our time. There are two classes of stem cells: embryonic and adult stem cells. An embryonic stem cell is a stem cell that is obtained from the human embryo, usually cloned and activated in a laboratory. They are capable of unprecedented reproduction, and can create all cells in the body. Adult stem cells are cells obtained from non-embryonic human sources, such as bone marrow. Unlike embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells can only self-renew in a limited manner. There are three types of stem cells: totipotent, multipotent and pluripotent. Totipotent stem cells, which only occur as embryonic stem cells, are capable of unlimited self-renewal and the capacity to become any cell type in the body. Multipotent stem cells, which only occur as adult stem cells, can only self-renew in a limited manner, and only produces environment-specified cell lines. Pluripotent stem cells, which can occur as both cell classes, have a limited capacity for self-renewal, but the ability to produce a range of adult cell lines. To date, stem cell therapy (the use of stem cells for medicine) is limited. Re-growth of bone marrow and blood cell production is the height of current technology. Research is currently being undertaken into the abilities of stem cells in healing the body; particularl... ... middle of paper ... ...Stem Cells. [Online] Available at: http://www.explorestemcells.co.uk/whyarestemcellsimportant.html [Accessed 17 August 2013]. National Institute of Health - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2002. Stem Cell Basics [Stem Cell Information]. [Online] Available at: http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/Pages/Default.aspx [Accessed 17 August 2013]. Riordan, N., 2012. Stem Cell Therapy | The Stem Cell Institute. [Online] Available at: http://www.cellmedicine.com/ [Accessed 17 August 2013]. The Family Research Council, 7 April 2007. Adult Stem Cell vs Embryonic Stem Cell Research Ethics Video, YouTube [Online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhzSrRR0QSU [Accessed 14 August 2013] Sam Harris, 2 December 2006. Sam Harris - Stem Cells and Morality, YouTube [Online Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUwnMX8ht3U [Accessed 14 August 2013]
Stem cells are the building blocks of the human body. Embryos consist of unspecialized stem cells that transform into the various specialized cells in the body such as cardiac, muscle or bone cells. Fetuses also have stem cells. However, the stem cells are divided into types like muscle, bone or nerves and don't perform a specialized function. Surprisingly, adult bodies also contain stem cells. In adults, stem cells are undifferentiated but limited to specific tissue type. When needed, the stem cells transform into the cells needed for repair and maintenance. The most common source of adult stem cells is bone marrow. Researchers also acquire stem cells from umbilical cords. Without stem cells, embryos could not develop into fetuses and adult
However, this is just a brief mention of the potential applications of stem cell research, which will be discussed at a later point in this essay. Stem cells are categorized into three genres based upon their potential developmental capability, total to limited. (NIH PRIMER http://www.nih.gov/news/stemcell/primer.htm) Totipotent stem cells are stem cells whose potential is total, thus totipotent. Totipotent stem cells are derived from embryonic tissue and fertilized ovarian eggs.
8. "Stem Cell Basics." National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2009. Web. .
...ns of a morally questionable nature. It is necessary that our practices remain ethical and that we uphold the value of a human life, as this is the cornerstone of human society. Embryonic stem cell research is one such operation that forces scientists, policy makers, and the larger society to define what constitutes a human life and to find an answer to the crucial question: Is it morally acceptable to violate the rights of a human life for the for the sake of medical progress?
Because stem cells are essentially a blank slate, scientists are theoretically capable of growing any human tissue cell. There is enormous medical potential in this. Stem cell research is the next step in advancing the medical field. It is comparable to the discovery of penicillin or the inoculation for smallpox.
Stem cell research began in 1956 when Dr. E Donnall Thomas performed the first bone marrow transplant (“Adult stem cells are not more promising,” 2007). Since that time, research has evolved into obtaining cells from a variety of tissues. According to stem cell research professors, Ariff Bongso and Eng Hin Lee (2005), “Stem cells are unspecialized cells in the human body that are capable of becoming cells, each with new specialized functions” (p. 2). Stem cells are in various adult tissues, such as bone marrow, the liver, the epidermis layer of skin, the central nervous system, and eyes. They are also in other sources, such as fetuses, umbilical cords, placentas, embryos, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are cells from adult tissues that have been reprogrammed to pluripotency. Most stem cells offer multipotent cells, which are sparse...
This report does a fairly comprehensive job on educating the public to the definition of stem cells, describing them as “a diverse group of remarkable multipotent cells that are relatively undifferentiated and unspecialized cells of the body.” Stem cells have the capacity for unlimited self-renewal and the possibility to produce differentiated descendant cell types. The main in...
I think that stem cell research has advanced in so many ways, with all the discoveries being made, and the new possibilities being explored. Although it still remains unethical because embryonic cells are one of the sources of stem cells. Why is somebody else’s life more valuable than someone else? Just because an embryo cannot talk, doesn’t mean, its life has any less value than a normal human being.
Stem cells are an ongoing research project in which new discoveries are being made about them, and researchers are learning how to use them in new ways. The three current kinds of stem cells all prove to have their own challenges when it comes to using them. The important thing is finding out which stem cell is right for the patient and how much of an ethical concern there is when it comes to using the stem cell. As we learn the best way to use them and they become more popular in the medical field, stem cells will become a new weapon in the fight against certain diseases.
“Stem Cells: The Future of Medicine.” Medschool.umaryland.edu. University of Maryland School of Medicine Web 14 Nov 2013
The wide range of prospective uses for stem cells could greatly improve the health and wellbeing of many people. In stem cell treatments, undifferentiated cells are programmed to form specific cells, which can then be transplanted to the afflicted area. Stems cells can possibly treat afflictions including “Alzheimer’s diseases, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis” (“Stem Cell Basics”). Another important use is in drug testing. Drugs can be tested on stem cells that develop into the target tissue before using it on human test subjects, which improves safety. Finally, transplantation of organs created from stem cells could eliminate the need for human...
Could you imagine being able to create new organs, tissues, muscles, and even food? With embryonic stem cell technology, believe it or not, these things are possible. Stem cells are the body's raw materials. Specifically, they are cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated. Under the right conditions in the body or in a laboratory, stem cells can divide to form more cells called daughter cells. These daughter cells either become new stem cells or turn into specialized cells with a more specific function, such as blood cells, brain cells, muscle cells or bone cells. The possibilities are almost endless. The debate and main issue with this technology is that the actual stem cells come from embryos. Embryos are an unborn or unhatched offspring in the process of development. Although there is controversy surrounding these cells, embryonic stem cells should continue to be researched and used, because they have so much potential.
...y, J. (2014). Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Can Meet Ethical Guidelines. In L. I. Gerdes
Stem cell research should be allowed on adults but not on humans. Only allowed on humans who are willing to be a part of the stem cell research but no one should be used against their own will. Embryos should not be used for embryonic stem cell research. An embryo being used for their stem cells and then discarded devalues that human life. This follows along the same unethical issue as abortion. When stem cells are removed from human embryos, a unique individual dies. However, if abortion is legal in the state that this research is conducted than research may be conducted on only aborted fetuses. That would be an...
In order to discover the ways for the remedy of diseases, studies in therapeutic approaches have been doing widely and kept increasing at accelerated pace. A lot of research areas had emerged for that purpose including one of the most fascinating and highly active areas at present, stem cells therapies. Due to self-renewal property and differentiation capability of stem cell, it becomes a new hope in modern treatment.