...Stem-ulating Research Michael Eldridge Abstract Stem cell research has the potential to be the next “big thing.” Stem cells have been around for a very long time, however the research is only a little over ten years old. Stem cells are tiny immature cells that can become any kind of cell in a person’s body. Like everything else in society today stem cell research comes with some controversy. Some controversy comes from the fact that aborted fetuses are used to get stem cells. As always there are at least two sides to every issue. Imagine a world where almost every dangerous disease could be cured by a single medicine. This imagination can become reality with a small little stem cell. Stem cells potentially have the ability to cure cancer, birth defects, brain damage, learning disabilities, paralysis; the list goes on and on. A stem cell is a cell that can replicate itself and takes on the function of the cells around it. To understand stem cell research a background of its history is needed, along with a more in-depth explanation of what a stem cell is, and finally ethical issues associated with stem cell research. Although stem cells have been around for a long time, the research of stem cells is relatively new. In 1996 the Dickey-Wicker amendment was created and it prohibits the creation of embryos through government funding. Experiments on stem cells began in 1998 at the University of Wisconsin. “Dr. James Thomson at the University of Wisconsin developed a technique...
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...Recent advances in human stem cell research have not only generated enormous enthusiasm on the part of researchers and optimistic predictions of revolutionary advances in biomedicine, but have also sparked considerable ethical and emotional public debate. There has been much controversy in the press about pros and cons of stem cell research . The important question to think about is Why the prospect of stem cell therapy has been greeted not as an innovation to be welcomed but as a threat to be resisted? The enormous capabilities of stem cells announce the beginning of an extraordinary advanced field of medicine that can help to cure deadly diseases . The present method , however, destroys human blastocyst that gives rise to intense controversy. (Monroe, Miller, & Tobis , 2008, p. 1) Stem cell controversy is the ethical debate centered on research involving the creation, usage and destruction of human embryonic stem cells. Around the world, many people believe that human embryo research , including the deliberate creation of embryos for valid research or clinical purposes , is wrong . Due to the controversy , some people argues that we should allow stem cell research but some of them are not in favour of stem cell research . According to S Holm , the author of Going to the Roots of Stem Cell Controversy, “A stem cell is a non – differentiated cell that can divide and multiply in its undifferentiated state, but which can also give rise to more specialized...
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...Stem Cell 2 The debate and controversy on stem cell research is so pervasive and passionate that we can get lost in the argument. Let us first explain what the definition of stem cell is: A stem cell is a “generic” cell that can make exact copies of itself indefinitely. In addition, a stem cell has the ability to produce specialized cells for various tissues in the body such as heart muscle, brain tissue, and liver tissue. Scientists are able to maintain stem cells forever, developing them into specialized cells as needed. There are two basic types of stem cell: Embryonic stem cells- these are obtained from either aborted fetuses or fertilized eggs that are left over from in vitro fertilization (IVF). They are useful for medical and research purposes because they can produce cells for almost every tissue in the body. Adult stem cells- these are not as versatile for research purposes because they are specific to certain cell types, such as blood, intestines, skin, and muscle. The term “adult stem cell” may be misleading because both children and adults have them (Healthline, online). The most controversial one is embryonic stem cells because it brings up a huge debate from research opponents who say it is wrong because it destroys human life and supporters say the embryos were going to be destroyed anyway, and that research from their cells holds the potential to cure debilitating diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Creating embryos intended only for research...
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...Stem Cell Funding Stem cell research has been a controversial hot topic in court and in the lab. The controversy involved with stem cell research starts with the means of obtaining the cells to perform the research. These stem cells are often obtained from deceased embryos of human beings. Ethics and moral issues arise because of the abortions occurring solely to acquire the coveted stem cells. Stem cells are basically cells that are capable of dividing and producing cells that differentiate further into one or more specialized types of cells. Stem cells hold a great deal of potential for curing previously incurable diseases and their full potential may be yet to be realized. The government should fund the collection and storage of stem cells of normal births because the public needs to be educated about its advantages by making the benefits of stem cell research known, showing that new and alternate sources for stem cells are available and present the harmful effects of methods currently used to obtain stem cells. Stem cells have enormous potential and therefore its research should not be hindered in any way. The distinct characteristic of stem cells that make them so valuable is that, “Stem cells can differentiate into more than one kind of cell, a characteristic referred to as plasticity. But the plasticity of a stem cell varies depending on whether it originates from an embryo or from an adult organism” (Panno 1). Stem cells have great potential because of their plasticity...
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...Stem Cell Research Stem cell research has played a vital role in modern-day society. This research has done many things that will change mankind forever. How can stem cell research be explained and described? Furthermore, there are many benefits of stem cell research, and unfortunately, there are many disadvantages of this research. Additionally, this has caused many ethical debates of whether the use of stem cell research is right or wrong. All of these statements and questions will determine how stem cell research shapes the future. To begin, how can stem cell research be explained and described? In this type of research, people discover how to fix imperfect tissues. Additionally, researchers study how embryonic stem cells can develop into many different types of tissues. Stem cell research began when Jamie Thomson and a group of people from a college made the first embryonic stem cell. Because of him and his team, the research has developed into something even larger. Now, stem cell therapy is used to treat many diseases such as diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease. “It had long been believed that adult tissue does not...
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...Stem Cell Research At the end of the twentieth century, the United States began to fade away from traditional medicine and slowly moved their focuses onto areas that had yet to be explored, such as stem cell research. With this change, the United States took a small step toward the beginning of a technological metamorphosis. As the nation began making paces toward the age of technology, new inventions as well as new types of equipment were developed to improve our well-being and way of life. During this time, many researchers in science and medical fields also began to benefit from these new inventions and cutting edge technological research; the most notably one being the recent approval of tax payers money to aid stem cell research. Stem cells are the basic building blocks from which the cells of every tissue in the body grow. Because of their unique ability to develop into different types of tissue, they could potentially be used to replace tissue damaged or destroyed by disease. They offer much hope for medical advancement because of their ability to grow into almost any kind of cell. For instance, the neural cells in the brain and spinal cord could never naturally repair itself, but it could be replaced by new healthy stem cells. In treatment of Cancer, whether it be part of the brain, heart, liver, lungs, or whatever, new healthy stem cells can adapt to the affected cell area that are destroyed by radiation or chemotherapy (Pro). Implementing this research requires...
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...that the human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research should be continued since if this research is successful, it can be beneficial for all human beings and encourage further development. Because hESC is pluripotent, it can transform to any other types of cell. Thus, it can be used to cure many diseases that are incurable, such as type-1 diabetes and genetic disorders. Many people will gain from the hESC research. Moreover, the research also encourages many further developments. For instance, Shinya Yamanaka has successfully transformed human skin cells into induced pluripotent (iPS) cells, which function exactly like human embryonic stem cells. Thus, I think the hESC research should be continued. I think that scientists should not use discarded embryos from fertility clinics to conduct human embryonic stem cell research since this source of embryos addresses the concerns of those who do not want to see embryos destroyed for research purposes. Scientists can use induced pluripotent stem cells instead. In this way, they can avoid many controversies of using discarded embryos from fertility clinics, and the iPS cells act exactly like the hESC. Although the embryonic cells are going to be destroyed, many people still think that destroying embryos for research is violating sanctity of life. Therefore, using iPS cells can solve the ethical problems that bring from using hESC for research, and the iPS cells are easier to obtain than...
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...Abstract The controversy over using stem cells for medical research has mostly been centered on the use of embryonic stem cells. There are now other means of extracting stem cells rather than aborting fetuses. Scientists have discovered alternative means; such as certain unspecialized cells found in bone marrow, as well as umbilical cord blood and rare but unique skin cells. As we take advantage of these findings, we not only partially solve the ongoing controversy, but also broaden our knowledge of the spectrum of stem cells as well. The extraction of stem cells may cure many diseases, such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. With these new means of acquiring stem cells, our chances of healing these illnesses increase. Not only will there be more stem cells available for research and healing purposes, but the long fought battle over the abortion of embryos and the subsequent harvesting of their stem cells might be placated. Stem Cell Research Paper Since their discovery, the ethics of human embryonic stem cells have been debated. As the ongoing controversy over human embryonic stem cells persists, we continue to look for alternative means of acquiring similar task-performing cells. Margaret Goodell was one of the first to propose extracting stem cells from other sources, most notably bone marrow. Without the ethics baggage, bone marrow derived cells seemed to put aborted fetuses out of the picture. Yet, according to Catherine Verfaillie of the University of Minnesota, bone marrow...
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...Embryonic Stem Cell Research Legislation and related legal issues Heidi Brannen Law 310 Professor Floyd June 1 Human embryonic stem cell research has been and will continue to be a very controversial issue in society all over the world. Many countries have recognized the importance of this research and its benefits, while others have continued to make such research illegal with no plans to change in the near future. This paper will be discussing the past, current, and hopeful future legislation in regards to embryonic stem cell research and how it could affect the future of medical advancement. Embryonic Stem Cell Research Legislation and related legal issues Research on human embryos and fetuses has been in development for decades with the first well known development being the polio vaccine which stemmed from work on cultures of human fetal kidney cells in the 1950’s. The controversy of such research is not so much in the science of the research itself, but in how the cells are obtained from unborn embryos and fetuses in their earliest stages of development. In the 1970’s, the controversy focused on research involving fetuses in utero, aimed at developing techniques such as amniocentesis and improving the understanding of conditions such as congenital heart disease, as well as on research involving tissue from aborted fetuses of the type that led to the polio vaccine. Federal funding of this research was halted until guidelines and safeguards...
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...Stem cells are a special type of cell located in the bodies of all multicellular animal life. They are the precursor stage of all adult cells, so are unique in their ability to develop into every other type of cell in the human body. This specialisation makes them of great interest in the field of biomedicine, as they can be utilised to replace damaged or lost cells in individuals with injuries or genetic illnesses. However, the research and usage of human stem cells remains a controversial and divisive matter. This essay will explain the main reasons why controversy surrounds their use as a medical therapy. The main controversy of stem cells being used in medicine revolves primarily around the research and usage of a particular kind of human stem cell; embryonic stem cells(ES cells). ES cells, as the name implies, are stem cells found only in the innermost mass of cells within blastocysts; the early stage of a human embryo. The extraction of these cells for use however, results in the destruction of the blastocyst. This raises issues about the morality of extracting ES cells, as they can only be removed at the cost of denying the future embryo the chance of developing into the foetal stage and subsequently, becoming a human life. One philosophical outlook on why the use of ES cells is immoral is that “...the human embryo is the same individual as the human organism at subsequent stages of development”1, a viewpoint that is relayed in the sentiments of a 2003 public...
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... Embryonic stem cells; are they the solution to many diseases plaguing the human race, or are they a vehicle for more pain and suffering? Embryonic stem cells are unspecialized cells derived from the inner cell mass of human embryos that are able to self-renew without differentiating for extended periods of time. This means that they do not become a certain type of cell, that they are totipotent, or capable of giving rise to any of the cell types of the human body. Embryonic stem cells hold the potential to cure diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, cancer, and even spinal cord injuries, along with hundreds of other rare immune system and genetic disorders. There are many moral and ethical dilemmas surrounding the research and utilization of embryonic stem cells and stem cell therapy, which has made it a difficult decision on whether or not to sign an executive order to lift the ban of federal funding for additional stem cell research, put in place by former president George W. Bush in 2001. With the signing of this order, it will bring the much needed change that scientists and researchers, doctors and innovators, patients and loved ones alike have been waiting for. We should zealously support any scientist who pursues this type of research, as there are many promising results in this field. “At this moment, the full promise of stem cell research remains unknown, and it should not be overstated, but scientists believe these tiny cells may have the...
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...important benefits of stem cells Aids in understanding the ethical and social considerations of this controversy. There are Two main types of stem cells. One type, embryonic, uses the undifferentiated cells of an Early human embryo to create any new, specialized type of cell (Brignier and Gewirtz S337). Embryonic stem cells are very useful for cell based therapies because they can Develop into more than 220 cell types that are found in an adult, and they have the ability To reproduce in large numbers. They are capable of almost unlimited cell divisions when Placed in culture. This makes embryonic stem cells very flexible and versatile. Using Stem cells to learn about the ways that these cells differentiate, grow, and renew will also Have profound results in the study and cure of cancers, birth defects, diabetes, and spinal cord Injuries, and other diseases caused by dysfunctional cell replication. Research on 3 Embryonic stem cells can also improve drug safety, as a drug can be tested on a stem cell Line before use in a patient (Louis 2009). The embryonic stem cells are extracted from The inner cell mass during the early blastocyst phase of embryonic development. After an Egg is fertilized, generally during in vitro in the laboratory, it begins dividing. The Blastocyst is a hollow ball of about 150 cells. The inner cell mass are the cells located in The inner part of the ball, and once extracted, the embryo is no longer viable or living (Monk 35). Hence, the controversy arises with destruction...
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...Stem cells are cells that can recreate into any type of cell and can cure diseases and reproduce rapidly. Stem cells are a huge help in the scientific world but the reason why we don’t use them often is because they are hard to get. Stem cells can change into any different kind of cell that they want to. For example, if someone needs brain cells, they will stick the stem cells into the brain and the stem cells will turn into brain cells. Stem cells are a very big assist to help cure diseases. Stem cells are a huge controversy in the science world. The way we get stem cells is from the fertilized eggs or embryos. Many people don’t like this because, for their research, scientists kill babies all so they can get results on how stem cells work....
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...Stem Cell Therapy Stem cells are virtually limitless. They have the potential to treat a huge range of diseases and conditions that debilitate millions of people around the world. Stem cell research is teaching us more about birth defects and how they can be prevented or possibly reversed. There are three major types of stem cells, embryonic, adult, and induced pluripotent stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are derived from undifferentiated inner mass cells of a human embryo. Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found throughout the body that divide to replenish dying cells and regenerate damaged tissues, also known as somatic stem cells. Induced pluripotent stem cells are adult stem cells that have been genetically reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell like state by being forced to express genes and factors important for maintaining the defining properties of embryonic stem cells. There are so many possible medical uses for stem cells. Stem cells, directed to differentiate into specific cell types, offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injuries, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. We also have a way to safely test new drugs. Stem cell controversy is an ethical debate primarily concerning the creation, treatment, and destruction of human embryos. This controversy has motivated and reinvigorated the pro-life movement. These...
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...world in science and technology. American technology has produced advances in many areas of medicine. As this medical research continues, there has controversy between advancing medicine through testing and preserving life. In the United States and around the world, there have been debates and laws created which demonstrate the controversy in stem cell research. One of the main debates is that stem research can be used to discover cures for illness. Many experts believe stem cell research can be used to help against diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer (Lacayo, 2001). However, many people worry that stem cell research will be used for unethical purposes such as human cloning. They also argue that money from the government should not be used to destroy a human embryo. In the United States and around the world there have been many laws regarding stem cell research. President Bush was the first President that made funds available for stem cell research. (Bush, 2007). According to the National Institute of Health, a government biomedical research organization, President George W Bush announced in August, 2001 a policy which advances stem cell research. Federal funds may be used for research on human embryonic stem cells if the following three requirements are met: 1) the destruction of the embryo must be prior to August 9, 2001, 2) stem cells were removed from embryo for the purpose of reproduction, which “was no longer needed.” 3) the donor had informed consent...
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