...Stem cell A stem cell is essentially a “blank” cell, capable of becoming another more differentiated cell type in the body, such as a skin cell, a muscle cell, or a nerve cell. Microscopic in size, stem cells are big news in medical and science circles because they can be used to replace or even heal damaged tissues and cells in the body. They can serve as a built-in repair system for the human body, replenishing other cells as long as a person is still alive. Adult stem cells are a “natural” solution. They naturally exist in our bodies, and they provide a natural repair mechanism for many tissues of our bodies. They belong in the microenvironment of an adult body, while embryonic stem cells belong in the microenvironment of the early embryo, not in an adult body, where they tend to cause tumors and immune system reactions. Most importantly, adult stem cells have already been successfully used in human therapies for many years. As of this moment, no therapies in humans have ever been successfully carried out using embryonic stem cells. New therapies using adult type stem cells, on the other hand, are being developed all the time. Significance of the Study Stem cell therapy is a potential treatment for spinal cord injury and different stem cell types has been grafted into animal models and humans suffering from spinal trauma. Due to inconsistent results, it is still an important and clinically relevant question which stem cell type will prove to be therapeutically effective...
Words: 1566 - Pages: 7
...discovery of stem cell therapy, it has been a controversial topic of long debate of moral ethics and politically. The discovery of stem cells and their ability to generate new cells began in the 1800’s. Today the topic of research therapy makes headlines with its controversy with the use of embryonic stem cells. Historically stem cell research includes plant, animals and human stem cells but today the prominent use of stem cells in humans is bone marrow transplant. This has become a simple one day medical procedure that is one of a lesser debate. Complete strangers can now simply be tested for a compatible match to an awaiting recipient. This type of success has brought stem cell to the forefront of medical researches discovery of other stem cell therapies that are futuristic in nature and have the possible to cure devastating disease and injuries that would otherwise leave someone completely debilitated or worse. Stem cell therapy is on the verge of being a revolutionary medical advancement in history. The discovery that stem cells could generate new healthy cells in the 1800’s had revolutionized the medical profession. Blood marrow transplant are the front runner of the success that stem cells can produce. This is the prominent force that guides researcher to believe that stem cells can be a cure for many diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, immune deficiency disease, certain types of leukemia’s, severe blood disorders and traumatic injuries to the spine and brain. A stem cell...
Words: 847 - Pages: 4
...English 102 Stem Cells: There are 3 main types of stem cells- embryonic, adult, and induced pluripotent, that provide great advances to modern medicine (Power). In recent years, the discussion of stem cells has become that of a political and moral debate. There are many misconceptions about stem cell research. The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. “Stem cells promise great advances in the treatment of injury and disease, but many problems must be overcome before their potential can be realized.”(qtd. in Power) Before an opinion can be developed on if stem cells should be used, one must know what and how they are used. Stem cells have caught the eye of scientists since the early 1800‘s where cell propagation and differentiation were witnessed for the first time. It was a Russian histologist named Alexander Maksimov who, in 1908, first put forward the existence of the stem cell (and coming up with the term himself) as part of his theory of hematopoiesis (What). According to Maksimov’s hypothesis, all cellular blood components were derived from hematopoietic stem cells(What.). However, there had been no major developments in the field of stem cell research for some 60 years after Maksimov’s theory was proposed In the early 1900‘s European researchers made the discovery that all blood cells and platelets came from a specific ‘stem cell’(What.). However it was not until later in 1963 that the first quantitative descriptions...
Words: 1933 - Pages: 8
...-Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell. I think by using Stem Cells to cure a disease is a good thing and that the research should continue. -Stem cells are distinguished from other cell types by two important characteristics. First, they are unspecialized cells capable of renewing themselves through cell division, sometimes after long periods of inactivity. Second, under certain physiologic or experimental conditions, they can be induced to become tissue- or organ-specific cells with special functions. In some organs, such as the gut and bone marrow, stem cells regularly divide to repair and replace worn out or damaged tissues. In other organs, however, such as the pancreas and the heart, stem cells only divide under special conditions. Embryonic stem cells can become all cell types of the body because they are pluripotent. Adult stem cells are thought to be limited to differentiating into different cell types of their tissue of origin. "This is not about red states and blue states. This is not about...
Words: 742 - Pages: 3
..."Embryonic stem cells...are in effect, a human self-repair kit," (Christopher Reeve, activist – Larry King show). For the advancement of science, stem cells are infinitely valuable, especially when considering all the potential applications in the field of medicine. Stem cells usage is a very controversial topic, because most people think of abortions, cloning, and other negative topics when they here the term stem cells. However I think those thoughts are because they don't understand what a stem cell is, where it comes from, or its monumental possibilities that could greatly benefit the medical field. In today’s medical world there is so much that can be done with stem cells whether it is generating new organs or saving an individual with terminal disease? There are already demonstrations of Stem cells possibilities, because treatment with stem cells has already begun. They have been taken from umbilical cords and become healthy red cells used to cure sickle-cell anemia. Stem cell therapy is also being used against certain types of cancer. Stem Cells are valuable due to the fact that they are non-designated and they have the ability to divide and multiply indefinitely. Thus, theoretically stem cells could fix and even replace any damaged or lost specific cells within a body. They are easily found in early embryos, but their numbers variety for development seems to become less in the adult stem cells. The information above is only what we know right now, but that's just the...
Words: 1458 - Pages: 6
...Stem Cell Research Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell. Different types of stem cells Embryonic stem cells - These stem cells come from embryos that are three to five days old. At this stage, an embryo is called a blastocyst and has about 150 cells. These are pluripotent stem cells, meaning they can divide into more stem cells or can become any type of cell in the body. This versatility allows embryonic stem cells to be used to regenerate or repair diseased tissue and organs, although their use in people has been to date limited to eye-related disorders such as macular degeneration. Adult stem cells - These stem cells are found in small numbers in most adult tissues, such as bone marrow or fat. Compared with embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells have a more limited ability to give rise to various cells of the body. Until recently, researchers thought adult stem cells could create only similar types of cells. For instance, researchers thought that stem cells residing in the bone marrow could give rise...
Words: 525 - Pages: 3
...banned federal funding for any more research into stem cell lines created after that date (August 9, 2001). In 2009, President Barack Obama ended the stem cell ban. Obama said his decision was a “difficult and delicate balance”. He said he wanted to side with the majority of Americans, who did support federal funding for this research. (“Obama reverses Bush-era stem cell policy.” 1) The benefits of this research can lead to new, more effective treatments for human ailments. Stem cell therapy has alleviated the suffering of thousands of people. Unused stem cells are being discarded instead of being used for research. (“Frequently asked questions.” 3) Stem cells are quite resourceful. They can easily be taken from our own bodies and stored just like blood. During radiation or chemotherapy, white and red blood cells can get damaged. These affected cells can easily be replaced with healthy stem cells that adapt. (Pros and cons of stem cell research, 1)The biggest debate about this topic isn’t about whether stem cells work, but who’s going to pay for the research. It’s not a matter of pro-life or pro-choice, it’s pro-science. If my family had the finances for stem cell therapy, we would have made sure that my grandmother was in as little as pain as possible when she was diagnosed with myeloma. No matter what type of injury or disease, cells can easily be replaced with healthy stem cells. (Pros and cons of stem cell research, 1) Stem cells are their own navigators in the body. When an...
Words: 1194 - Pages: 5
...Stem cell research is a highly controversial topic that may possibly hold the cure for cancer and other diseases. A group of scientists in the late 90’s created several techniques to isolate and grow stem cells. We to need to discuss several topics before an argument can be made to support or not support stem cell research, the types of stem cells, the uses, and who should fund stem cell research. There are many different types of stem cells and each one has a different role in promoting breakthroughs in the many diseases that can possibly be cured. There has been fierce debate in the world about research using embryonic stem cells compared to using adult stem cells. The main criticism against embryonic stem cell research is that the embryo is destroyed in the process of accessing the stem cells during the research period. It is an intriguing how the human body repairs and replaces the cells and tissues of certain organs, but not others. A great example is a burn victims cannot regenerate their own damaged tissues. Trying to figure out why scientists are now focusing their attention on adult stem cells is still a mystery. Evidence shows us that stem cells are present in far more tissues and organs than once known, and that they are capable of developing into more cells than previously thought. Adult stem cells posses the great advantage that an embryo does not. The development of cell therapies can be generated from adult stem cells. For instance, there would...
Words: 361 - Pages: 2
...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...
Words: 6987 - Pages: 28
...Stem cells are cells with the potential to develop into many different types of cells in the body. They serve as a repair system for the body. Stem cells are cells found in all multi cellular organisms. Stem Cells have the potential to make a large positive impact in the medical field. It is important to know the basics of Stem Cells, the difference between the types of Stem Cells, and the possible uses of Stem Cells. Knowing the basics of stem cells is a necessity to understanding how they might positively impact those with a medical condition. Stem cells are master or parent cells of the body. Stem cells are unspecialized cells. They have special properties: unspecialized cell and the ability to self-renew as a stem cell or transform into another type of cell with a specialized function. The human body has over two hundreds different types of cells. The stem cell has the potential to replace about all of them. Stem cells are considered unique compared to mature cells which are lack of their capabilities. Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different types of cell in the human body. Spinal cord injury results in neuronal degeneration and demyelination due to oligodendrocyte apoptosis at the region of trauma and causes severe functional impairment of motor and sensory pathways (All, 2012). With the right conditions in the human body or a laboratory, the stem cells divide to form more cells, or daughter cells. These daughter cells either become new...
Words: 620 - Pages: 3
...Stem Cells, Key to Our Future? Jared Gibbons DeVry University Stem cell research is one of the most controversial topics to date. There has been some evidence of Stem Cells as early as 1800’s, but the first documented findings took place in 1961 when scientists Drs. James Till, a biophysicist, and Ernest McCulloch, a hematologists, published accidental findings in “Radiation Research” that proved the existence of stem cells which are self-renewing cells. Stem cells work by rebuilding themselves and can potentially replicate any type of cell in the human body. Stem Cell research has been through multiple trials, and has faced a lot of opposition. Advancements in research, medical cures, and funding continue to be on the forefront of stem cell research. Continued advancements in Stem cell research are key to the future. As research continues into Stem cells the need to find different way to collect them is one of the biggest goals of scientists (Clark, 2012). Biologist in China says they have found a very unique way of collecting stem cells. Biologists in China have published a study detailing how they transformed common cells found in human urine into neural stem cells that can be used to create neurons and glial brain cells. The find holds huge potential for the rapid testing and development of new treatments for neurodegenerative disorders (web.) The gap between science and religion has even closed. Pope Benedict XVI spoke out in favor of adult stem cell research. Pope...
Words: 988 - Pages: 4
...Stem cell research has become one of the most controversial topics next to abortion. Scientist, Researchers, and some medical professionals feel we are loosing precious time with the political, legal and ethical aspect of this topic and should focus more on how modern medicine can be improved and where stem cell research could take us in the future. Stem cell history began in the 1800’s both human and animal stem cells were used. Scientist fertilize egg cells through the vitro process, this was the most successful way to cause reproduction in a human egg, but with more advance research and tools the possibilities could be endless. Stem cell are classified into three categories; Totipotent, which are found in early embryos, pluripotent exist in the inner cell mass and can from over 200 cell types in the human body, and multipotent that are derived from fetal tissue, cord blood and adult stem cells. Multipotent stem cells are more commonly used in cell-based therapies because they have the best success rate. In the 1900’s the first application of stem cell research was bone marrow transplants using adult stem cells. Bone marrow was given to patients orally that had anemia and leukemia, this was proven to be ineffective way to administer and treat the illness. Treatment was only proven to be successful when given through the blood stream from a compatible donor. In 1984 Congress passed the National Organ Transplant Act this led to an increase of people in the bone marrow...
Words: 869 - Pages: 4
...form of Stem Cells Dear John, After our brief discussion regarding the Doctors suggestion for stem cell therapy, I quickly began to gather information surrounding the topic to aid in your decision making. Stem cells have been researched for over thirty years. Primarily two types of stem cells have been used for research, from both humans and animals, entitled embryonic and non-embryonic cells (Stem cell basics, 2002). The research for embryonic cells came in the early eighties after mice embryos had been used for extensive research. It was found that human embryonic embryos can be utilized as stem cells and reprogrammed to adapt in order to become the desired type of cell needed. Do you remember when my wife and I endured our round of in-vitro fertilization to conceive our first child? The fertility specialist was able to gather 13 embryos during egg retrieval. All 13 embryos were successfully fertilized. After forty-eight hours it was determined that only 8 had divided in a healthy manner and were able to continue the process of maturation (splitting). Four were then frozen using cryonization and the other four were left to continue onwards to blastyocysts. Two of the four did not make it past 36 hours however two of them developed into grade “A” cells allowing for implantation. We were fortunate that one of the two cells implanted and resulted in a healthy pregnancy. I share this story with you to illustrate how delicate the process of obtaining healthy stem cells...
Words: 933 - Pages: 4
...Summary 1 There are hundreds of different kinds of cells that form our body. They are all specialized and serve different functions. Some carry oxygen through our blood vessels and some transfer messages from our brains to the rest of the body. These specialized cells can no longer replicate themselves. But the stem cells can. Stem cells are unspecialized cells in our bodies that replace the malfunctioned or used up specialized cells. For instance, we make millions of new blood cells a day and they are generated from stem cells in the bone marrow. Stem cells has two options during their cell divisions. To make either two identical daughter stem cells or two specialized cells. Adult stem cells of a particular organ or tissue of our bodies can only make the cells of that tissue or organ. (E.g. the skin stem cells in our skin can only make skin cells.) The skin stem cells have already been applied to therapeutical uses. Such as skin burns. So far, we’ve only known that there are adult stem cells in blood, skin, guts and muscles. There are another kind of stem cells called the embryonic stem (ES) cells. They are only found in blastocysts, early stage embryos. These cells can be specialized into any kind of cell in our bodies. Our body signals and external stimulation guide these ES cells to differentiate into certain specialized cells. The scientists aim to recreate these signals in the lab in order to grow any kind of cell of human body. The challenge the scientists is facing is...
Words: 416 - Pages: 2
...Stem Cells Since being discovered, the ethics of studying stem cells for medicine has been debated. As the continuing controversy over this research continues, the funding for it diminishes, and thousands of lives that could've been saved slip away. Embryonic stem cell research, which has the potential to serve the medical field in countless ways, will remain stagnant until we as Americans realize that it can be the key to most of today's deadliest diseases and injuries. Margaret Goodell, a professor at the Baylor College of Medicine, was one of the first to suggest extracting stem cells from other sources, most notably bone marrow. Without people being able to use the ethics card, bone marrow derived cells seemed to put aborted fetuses out of the picture. But, according to Catherine Verfaillie of the University of Minnesota, bone marrow cells with the same ability as stem cells are very rare (Snow 48). Verfaillie estimates that only one out of ten billion bone marrow cells are versatile enough and have the ability to adapt into other working cells. Even though these cells would work, the process of finding them makes it difficult. Bone marrow “stem” cells, if you will, have no molecular marker that differentiates them from other bone marrow cell. (Snow 48). The only way to see the difference between them is by a long process of tests, which makes finding them incredibly difficult. They are more common in younger children, however, they have been found in some adult donors...
Words: 1734 - Pages: 7
