Development Of Cells And Pluripotent Germ Cells

The human embryo for embryonic stem cell research requires the ova from a woman to make this possible. This requires many risks to the woman giving the egg. “Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent cells positioned in the early embryo” (Miller Ph.D., Levine Ph.D.). Pluripotent means that the cells are capable of developing into most of the body’s cell types and have the ability to aid and cure diseases. (Miller Ph.D., Levine Ph.D.). This pluripotency is what distinguishes between embryonic and adult stem cells. The embryonic stem cells can be generated in every cell type in the body and can indefinitely create themselves making it possible for tissue replacement in addition to finding cures for diseases. “Embryonic stem cells are human embryos that develop after fertilization into a blastocyst” (Miller Ph.D., Levine Ph.D.). Hundreds of immune system diseases and rare genetic disorders are believed to be among the possible to be aided or cured using embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells

Infertility is the fundamental lacking of the ability to conceive a baby, and both men and women can have this problem. Dr. Clark, our guest speaker in class pointed out that approximately 30% of men and women are infertile, while 25% of infertility cannot be explain by science yet. Because of that, infertility is no longer considered as a lifestyle problem but a disease instead. According to Dr. Clark, one of the options for the infertility patients today is the use of stem cell therapies to treat infertility, and one of the recent popular stem cell therapies is reproductive cloning. Reproduction cloning is a process to “produce” a next generation of “you” through somatic cell nuclear transfer. In my paper, I will argue that

All the human embryonic stem cell lines currently in use come from four to five-day-old embryos left over from in-vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures. In IVF, researchers mix a man 's sperm and a woman 's eggs together in a lab dish. Some of those eggs will become fertilized. At about five days the egg has divided to become a hollow ball of roughly 100 cells called a blastocyst which is smaller than the size of the dot over an “i”. ("Myths and Misconceptions About Stem Cell Research.")

Human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are pluripotent cells isolated from blastocysts, and are highly useful in studying human development (Itzkovitz-Eldor et al., 2000 p. 88). Although the National Institute of Health states that “it is not known if iPSCs and embryonic stem cells differ in clinically significant ways”, iPSCs are already being used to achieve the same results as ESCs in some applications without the use of embryos, removing the ethical concern associated with ESCs (National Institutes of Health, 2009). ESCs are capable of differentiating into all cell types, and can be used as a source of differentiated cells. In the report by Itskovitz-Eldor et al., they discuss the induced differentiation of ESCs in suspension into embryoid bodies, including the three embryonic germ layers. The authors state that “the ability to induce formation of human embryoid bodies that contain cells of neuronal, hematopoietic and cardiac origins will be useful in studying early human embryonic development” (Itzkovitz-Eldor et al., 2000 p. 88).

Embryonic Stem Cell Research holds the key to unlocking cures for many currently considered “incurable” diseases and even though Embryonic Stem Cell Research holds the potential to alleviate malicious disabilities, replacing harmful cancer cells and regrowing new tissue; with a little guidance from scientist. Embryonic Stem Cell Research is one of the biggest controversial topic centered primarily on the ethical implications of the destruction and use of the embryos during research. Since Stem Cells are the source of all tissues in our body, understanding how they develop and work will give scientists a better understanding in human biology, in health and sickness.

Embryonic stem cell research is the study of stem cells derived from the undifferentiated inner mass cells of a human embryo. For many years now, the ethics of embryonic stem cell research has been argued. A recent advance in this line of research is the ability to clone the embryonic stem cells, which allows for researchers to create a completely compatible embryonic stem cell to the individual’s tissue type. Though this new science may be very beneficial, not everyone can agree on the ethics of it. While the National Bioethics Advisory Commission approves of stem cell research via in vitro fertilization, they are strongly opposed of the cloning of embryos, which is expressed in Volume I Report and Recommendations of the National Bioethics Advisory Commission, “Issues in Human Stem Cell Research". On the other hand, Dr. Katrien Devolder, the writer of the article, “Creating and sacrificing embryos for stem cells” is devout to the advocacy of embryonic stem cell research which includes the use and derivation of stem cells from spare in vitro fertilization embryos as well as the creation of embryos for these purposes. Embryonic stem cell research has accomplished so much for for medicine, it would be a shame to not continue it because of opposing views that could easily come to a mutual consensus.

In the article, “New technique overcomes genetic cause of infertility” by Medical News Today they developed an experiment at the Francis Crick Institute using infertile mice to make healthy offspring. In this experiment, they had found a way to remove the extra x or y chromosome. Having the extra X or Y chromosome is what causes infertility in men, which disrupts the formation of mature sperm. In the experiment, they used the fibroblast from the mice and turned them into stem cells. By doing this they noticed that some lost the extra sex chromosome. They believe that one day this test can be done to humans who have Klinefelter syndrome (XXY) or Double Y syndrome (YYY) who are infertile, allowing them to have children through this same process

Because of possible harm to the resulting child, it is not ethically acceptable to experimentally manipulate the postimplantation human embryo. Therefore, most of what is known about the mechanisms of early human embryology and human development, especially in the early postimplantation period, is based on histological sections of a limited number of human embryos and on analogy to the experimental embryology of the mouse. However, human and mouse embryos differ significantly, particularly in the formation, structure, and function of the fetal membranes and placenta, and the formation of an embryonic disc instead of an egg cylinder. For example, the mouse yolk sac is a well-vascularized, robust, extraembryonic organ throughout gestation that provides important nutrient exchange functions. In humans, the yolk sac also serves important early functions, including the initiation of hematopoiesis, but it becomes essentially a vestigial structure at later times or stages in gestation. Similarly, there are dramatic differences between mouse and human placentas, both in structure and function. Thus, mice can serve in a limited capacity as a model system for understanding the developmental events that support the initiation and maintenance of human pregnancy. Human ES cell lines thus provide an important new in vitro model that will improve our understanding of the differentiation

One of the leading experts in human cloning technology, Dr. Richard Seed, suggests that with human cloning it might be possible that one day humans could reverse the aging process . There has also already been breakthroughs with human stem cells. Embryonic stem cells, the pluripotent stem cells from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, can be grown to produce organs or tissue to replace or repair damaged ones. If this was to be combined with cloning then it would give people’s immune system a greater chance to not reject the new part . It is also widely believed that human cloning could be the cure for infertility. A technique called somatic nuclear transfer is being considered to be used to help infertile couples to have babies. Somatic nuclear transfer was the method used to clone Dolly the sheep. An infertile man can have his sperm cloned so that only the healthy sperm remain. The same is done for a woman’s eggs and in extreme cases a sibling may be cloned from a human . These are the reasons that people believe human cloning should be legalised within

Many people may not realize this, but genetic modification has already taken shape. A process known as in vitro fertilization (IVF) has aided numerous people who have had difficulty in fertility. Many years ago, the idea of a women getting pregnant through artificial insemination was a far cry from being feasible. The technology and science was not advanced enough to perform something as delicate and complexed as this. Even so, the development of IVF has created many people who could not have been born through traditional needs.

Reproductive technology was developed in the biology and genetics of the embryo as it is now possible to test for chromosome and gene defects in the embryo, prior to implantation. This technique is called preimplantation genetic testing or preimplantation genetic diagnosis and is when one or more cells are removed from the embryo and analysed for chromosomal disorders or genetic diseases before embryo transfer. Therefore, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) not only assist in conception but can also avoid the birth of a child with a disability or hereditary disease. While new technologies continue to extend the available options for infertile couples, they also have the potential to help single women and homosexual couples to have children. Overall, these technologies have developed from when they were first introduced to now and have

Many couples that are infertile still have a great desire to create a new life however the current method in vitro fertilization is very often ineffective. In fact it only results in a healthy pregnancy 10% of the time. However cloning could be much more effective. Contrary

Moreover, “fertility problems could also be potentially eased with the use of genetic cloning.” (“Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloning”, 2014). This technique is called

Regenerative medicine and transplantation is the recent advancement in the field of scientific medical research embarking on the evolvement of embryonic stem cells(ESCs)and reprogrammed human somatic cells called induced pleuri potent stem cells(iPSCs) .Human embryonic stem cells were first derived in 1998 by Thomson et al. and induced pleuri potent stem cells(iPSCs) in 2007(Thai Journal of Obstetrics and GynaecologyApril 2013) The innate proficiency of the human embryonic stem cells to differentiate into multiple cell lineages i.e pluripotency and worthy of self renewal score them as invaluable sources in therapeutic and diagnostic field. However,there are some impediments seen in the generation and utilisation of these ESCs as some countries believe that isolation of ESCS from embryos is detrimental to the embryos and as they are not patient specific , auto rejection is observed in some cases. (Thai Journal of Obstetrics and GynaecologyApril 2013) To overcome this, scientists have identified iPSCs by reprogramming of certain somatic cells. Vivid progression in the remedy of infertility will be possible with the transformation of germ cells from stem cells.The mechanism of differentiation of ES cells in vitro and in vivo are not well inferred due to limited number of oocytes available through donation programmes. Functional or mature gametes have fail to develop in vitro as germ cells do not develop beyond the earliest stage, persistently generating low number

Most married couples desired to have a child but unfortunate conditions lead to incompetence. The inability to conceive left many couples with crashed dream; however, advance technologies found its way to correct these inabilities. Various types of artificial insemination aid many couples to have a child. To aid pregnancy or to cure genetic disorder, a chain of processes is conducted called “In Vitro Fertilization” (IVF). In this operation, collection of reproductive cell from the ovaries and sperm is needed. The mature egg will then undergo fertilization and will be implanted to the mother’s reproductive organ. Multiple pregnancy may occur depending on the number of embryo implanted (IVF, n.d.). The other kind of artificial insemination is the “Donor insemination” (DI). In donor insemination, pregnancy can be achieved through a simple process of inserting semen using a syringe into the reproductive organ of the woman. Usually, another individual aside from the husband donates the semen (Donor