...Is Stem Cell Research Ethical? Reginald Lawrence Is it ethical for stem cells for the advancement of medical research? In the 1800s it was discovered certain cells could generate other cells. The 1900s brought upon more research in using stem cells. The ethical issue surrounding embryonic stem cells research arises because human embryos are destroyed in the process. I believe that the benefits outweigh the negatives and that a greater good can come out of using embryonic stem cells. The treatment of diseases and illnesses continually grows and improves. Embryonic stem cells have the potential to help rectify or even cure disease and illnesses that are thought to be incurable. However, the ethical battle over the sanctity of life rages on. Stem cells can be compared to the building blocks of the human body. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, they can develop into any other type of cell in the body. They are extracted from a cell before they differentiate. They have the capacity to make any of the 200 different cells in the body and can also self-renew or reproduce themselves. Currently, there are 89 stem cell lines, a family of constantly dividing cells, registered with the National Institute of Health (NIH). The first line was discovered in 1998. In 1996 Congress passed the Dickey-Wicker Amendment, which put restrictions on federally funding embryonic stem cell research if the embryo was created to be destroyed. In 2001, President Bush implemented guidelines to...
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...aren’t sure about being a candidate for stem cell treatment. I have done a bit of research to help you understand the possibilities about being treated with stem cells. I want you to know the pros and cons of the treatment to hopefully help you decide on the best course of action for your injuries. I want you to get better and hope this helps you! Scientists throughout the years have been on the front lines of development for the treatment of diseases, disorders, and injuries for several hundred years now. Until recently stem cell therapy has been a thing of science fiction. But for over 30 years bone marrow has been used to treat cancer, leukemia, and lymphoma. This actually is a form of stem cell therapy that has been used...
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...STEM CELL RESEARCH AND THERAPYAND ITS IMPACTS ON SOCIETY Abstract There are several types of stem cells being used in stem cell research and therapy today. They are embryonic, adult and induced pluripotent stem cells. Each will be discussed further. This topic has stirred much moral, ethical and political debate as whether cells from fetuses should be used in this research. This impacts governmental policies on laws and funding. Another issue that must be analyzed is the economics and who should have access to this treatment. The views of people and government on this research differ greatly across the world. There are countries that have very strict laws restricting this research while others take an extremely liberal stance. Stem Cell Research and Therapy and Its Impacts on Society Introduction Stem cells are the basic unit of life that gives rise to all living things. They are the undifferentiated cells that transform into the specialized cells that make up all of the tissues in organisms. With further research and understating, these cells can be used in medicine to cure a wide range of diseases. The most important type of stem cell to humans is the pluripotent stem cell which is usually obtained from human embryos. This has sparked controversy in many aspects of human life. In this paper, we will concentrate on animal and human stem cell research, and its impact on society. A Brief Description Of The Technology And An Explanation Of The Associated...
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...Stem cell research and therapy Stephanie Reeves Rasmussen College Author Note This paper is being submitted on August 3, 2014, for Ellen Doyles’ Human Biology course. Stem cell research and therapy Stem cell research has great significance for medical use. They have the ability to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. They can also serve as a repair system to many tissues, by dividing without limitation to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. Stem cells are the body’s raw materials. Stem cell research has created quite the controversy and has been a topic of debate for over a decade. There are 3 types of stem cells that are currently being used in stem cell research and therapies; Embryotic, Adult, and induced pluripotent stem cells. There are a few characteristics that differ between these types of stem cells Embryotic stem cells can become all cell types of the body because they are pluripotent, and can be grown relatively easy in culture. Adult stem cells are thought to be limited to differentiating into different cell types of their tissue origin, and are rare in mature tissues which makes it difficult to isolate these cells in adult tissue, and methods to expand their numbers in cell culture has not been worked out as of today. Induced pluripotent stem cells are adult cells that have been genetically altered to have properties of embryonic stem cells. ...
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... what are stem cells? Stem cells have the remarkable ability to possibly develop into numerous different cell types in the body, not only during the early stages of life but throughout the growth of the body as well. Along with that, stem cells can serve as an internal repair system in certain body tissues. A unique factor of stem cells is that when they divide each newly formed cell can potentially reform into a new type of specialized cell such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, etc. By doing this, the body can become stronger or gain back important cells that it has lost. Another unique characteristic of stem cells is that under certain physiological conditions they can be induced a tissue or organ specified cell with special...
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...Parkinson's Disease and Stem Cell Treatment ____________________________________________________________ _ Abstract Parkinson's disease is a neurogenerative disease characterized by a progressive loss of the dopaminergic neurones in the substantia nigra, pars compacta in the midbrain ( Borta & Hoglinger, 2006). Stem cells derived from embryos or fetal tissues have been introduced in the clinic as an alternative treatment for parkinson’s disease. Because of their self-renewal capacity and pluripotentiality, human embryonic stem cells are thought to hold enormus promise as potential replacement tissue in neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson’s. Pluripotential embryonic stem cells, neural tissue derived stem and phenotype-specified progenitor cells have been investigated for their ability to generate neurons and glia, and the molecular mechanism by which they do so (Goldman & Windrem, 2006). Logistical issues, in particular the difficulty in obtaining ample supply of fetal ventral mesencephalic cells coupled with their poor graft survival, limit the clinical applicability of fetal dopamine cell transplants. This review evaluates human neural stem cells as a graft source for Parkinson's disease. ____________________________________________________________ ____________ Introduction Parkinson's disease is a relatively common disorder of the nervous system that afflicts patients later in life with tremor, slowness of movement, instability and rigidity. Treatment...
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...Stem cells can develop into mature cells and tissues. They are classified according to their potency, a measure of the number of cell types a stem cell can develop into. Totipotent step cells, found at the earliest stages of embryonic development, can develop into any cell type in the body, while multi- potent stem cells, found in adults, may be able to develop into a few cell types. Stem cells in a laboratory setting can be guided to mature into one cell type over another. There are a number of benefits for stem cell therapy in medicine. One major benefit of stem cell technology is the potential role of stem cells in treatment of previously incurable diseases. A number of cell types in the body can no longer renew themselves once they have matured. As a result, nerve damage or nerve cell death in the brain is typically permanent--since brain cells are considered permanent cells, there is only a very limited capacity to renew damaged brain cells. Stem cell therapy may provide a way to treat diseases characterized by damage to cells that do not normally regenerate. The use of stem cells as a therapy for neurodegenerative disease, such as Parkinson's disease is on-going, according to a 2004 study published in Nature Medicine. Continued advances in stem cell technology may benefit the treatment for previously incurable disorders, such as Parkinson's. Another potential benefit is that stem cells may serve as the source for tissue following injury. Since some stem cells...
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...Stem Cell Research One of the numerous scientific topics that creates a great divide between Americans and political party platforms is the approval or disapproval of stem cell research. There is very firm support and opposition to this topic, and it can often provoke heated discussions amid the general public and those in academia. The core of the debate specifically revolves around embryonic stem cell research and the ethical implications that come with experimentation on human embryos. When discussing stem cell research it is important to obtain some background information to know where the debate originated. “There are three main sources for obtaining stem cells - adult cells, cord cells, and embryonic cells” (Stem Cell Research Pros and Cons). Stem cells are cells that are capable of taking on the form of various types of cells. Research in the 90s began the scientific world’s fascination with stem cells. As studies have progressed, scientists have performed experiments on all three types of stem cells in order to differentiate the stem cells with the purpose of finding possible cures for serious illnesses such as leukemia and even cancer. Doctor Irving Weissman of the American Medical Association states, “Rare leukemia stem cells and cancer stem cells have been isolated that contain all of the tumorigenicity of the whole tumor, and it is their properties that will guide future therapies” (Weissman). Stem cell research opens a world of possibilities for the medical...
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...STEM CELL RESEARCH AND THERAPYAND ITS IMPACTS ON SOCIETY Abstract There are several types of stem cells being used in stem cell research and therapy today. They are embryonic, adult and induced pluripotent stem cells. Each will be discussed further. This topic has stirred much moral, ethical and political debate as whether cells from fetuses should be used in this research. This impacts governmental policies on laws and funding. Another issue that must be analyzed is the economics and who should have access to this treatment. The views of people and government on this research differ greatly across the world. There are countries that have very strict laws restricting this research while others take an extremely liberal stance. Stem Cell Research and Therapy and Its Impacts on Society Introduction Stem cells are the basic unit of life that gives rise to all living things. They are the undifferentiated cells that transform into the specialized cells that make up all of the tissues in organisms. With further research and understating, these cells can be used in medicine to cure a wide range of diseases. The most important type of stem cell to humans is the pluripotent stem cell which is usually obtained from human embryos. This has sparked controversy in many aspects of human life. In this paper, we will concentrate on animal and human stem cell research, and its impact on society. A Brief Description Of The Technology And An Explanation Of The Associated...
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...Embryonic Stem Cell Use Abstract: Researchers discovered that embryonic stem cells could be originated from early human embryos. This discovery has raised a series of ethical and public-policy questions that are now being confronted by multiple international organizations, nations, cultures, and religious traditions. This essay surveys policies for human embryonic stem cell research in four regions of the world, reports on the recent debate at the United Nations about one type of such research, and reviews the positions that various religious traditions have adopted regarding this novel type of research. In several instances the religious traditions seem to have influenced the public-policy debates. There are many ways in which human stem cells can be used in research and the clinic. Studies of the medical use of Embyonic Stem cells will yield information about the complex events that occur during human development. A primary goal of this work is to identify how undifferentiated stem cells become the differentiated cells that form the tissues and organs. Scientists know that turning genes on and off is central to this process. Some of the most serious medical conditions, such as cancer and birth defects, are due to abnormal cell division and differentiation. A more complete understanding of the genetic and molecular controls of these processes may yield information about how such diseases arise and suggest new strategies for therapy. Predictably controlling cell proliferation...
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...Stem Cell Research One of the numerous scientific topics that creates a great divide between Americans and political party platforms is the approval or disapproval of stem cell research. There is very firm support and opposition to this topic, and it can often provoke heated discussions amid the general public and those in academia. The core of the debate specifically revolves around embryonic stem cell research and the ethical implications that come with experimentation on human embryos. When discussing stem cell research it is important to obtain some background information to know where the debate originated. “There are three main sources for obtaining stem cells - adult cells, cord cells, and embryonic cells” (Stem Cell Research Pros and Cons). Stem cells are cells that are capable of taking on the form of various types of cells. Research in the 90s began the scientific world’s fascination with stem cells. As studies have progressed, scientists have performed experiments on all three types of stem cells in order to differentiate the stem cells with the purpose of finding possible cures for serious illnesses such as leukemia and even cancer. Doctor Irving Weissman of the American Medical Association states, “Rare leukemia stem cells and cancer stem cells have been isolated that contain all of the tumorigenicity of the whole tumor, and it is their properties that will guide future therapies” (Weissman). Stem cell research opens a world of possibilities for the medical field...
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...Background. Cell therapy is an emerging therapeutic strategy aimed at replacing or repairing severely damaged tissues with cultured cells. Epidermal regeneration obtained with autologous cultured keratinocytes (cultured autografts) can be life-saving for patients suffering from massive full-thickness burns. However, the widespread use of cultured autografts has been hampered by poor clinical results that have been consistently reported by different burn units, even when cells were applied on properly prepared wound beds. This might arise from the depletion of epidermal stem cells (holoclones) in culture. Depletion of holoclones can occur because of (i) incorrect culture conditions, (ii) environmental damage of the exposed basal layer of cultured grafts, or (iii) use of new substrates or culture technologies not pretested for holoclone preservation. The aim of this study was to show that, if new keratinocyte culture technologies and/or "delivery systems" are proposed, a careful evaluation of epidermal stem cell preservation is essential for the clinical performance of this life-saving technology. Methods. Fibrin was chosen as a potential substrate for keratinocyte cultivation. Stem cells were monitored by clonal analysis using the culture system originally described by Rheinwald and Green as a reference. Massive full-thickness burns were treated with the composite allodermis/cultured autograft technique. Results. We show that: (i) the relative percentage of holoclones, meroclones...
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...Embryonic Stem Cell Research: Its Pros and Cons Because of its concept, embryonic stem cell research has become a hot topic in debates among scientific researchers, moral activists, religious groups and governments. It is a relatively a new science that holds medical treatments for many debilitating diseases and disorders affecting people today. But like other new scientific technologies, it is also believed to potentially do harm. To get a good insight about this type of research, let us take a look at some of its pros and cons. List of Pros of Embryonic Stem Cell Research 1. It can help treat many diseases. As scientists direct the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into specific cell types, they will be able to use the resulting differentiated cells to treat certain diseases, which include diabetes, traumatic spinal cord injury, Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, heart diseases, and vision and hearing loss. It is also claimed to have the potential...
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...com/locate/jopr Review Article Nanotechnology for tissue engineering: Need, techniques and applications J. Danie Kingsley, Shivendu Ranjan*, Nandita Dasgupta, Proud Saha School of Bioscience and Technology, VIT University, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India article info abstract Article history: Tissue engineering is very fast growing scientific area in this era which is used to create, Received 1 December 2012 repair, and/or replace cells, tissues and organs by using cell and/or combinations of cells Accepted 27 February 2013 with biomaterials and/or biologically active molecules and it helps to produce materials Available online xxx which very much resembles to body’s native tissue/tissues. From tissue engineering current therapies got revolutionised and life quality of several millions patient got Keywords: improved. Tissue engineering is the connecting discipline between engineering materials Bio-scaffold science, medicine and biology. In typical tissue engineering cells are seeded...
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...I hypothesize if human amniotic membrane (AM) is placed on top of the basal side of a cell sheet before being transplanted to the heart, then the cell sheet will adhere to the heart more quickly because of AM’s biocompatible properties. The human amniotic membrane will be collected from willing donors after birth. The AM will be washed with solutions before removing the epithelial cells from the membrane. The cells with then be put into a culture to grow before being placed on top of the three layered cell sheet. I will then begin creating a multi layered cell sheet with mesenchymal stem cells, which are stem cells found in the bone marrow that can distinguish into myoblasts (muscle cells). The bone marrow will be taken from the hip bones of...
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