Embryonic Stem Cells In The Human Body

Stem cells are a special group of cells found in all multicellular organisms. What makes them unique and different from other cells is the fact that they are unspecialized and have the potential to differentiate into diverse cell types while still maintaining the ability to replenish themselves. Generally, these cells are divided into 2 broad categories – the embryonic stem cells that are derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst and the adult stem cells that are harvested from the bone marrow, umbilical cord blood or the adipose tissue of an adult.

Both types of stem cells allow researchers to easily perform a variety of experiments with DNA, mutations, and so forth, without harming any full grown human beings (Jordan 116-1). Since adult stem cells come from a wide variety of tissues in the human body - pancreas, brain, fat, skin, umbilical cord, placenta - they can be successfully harvested without causing any harm to the patient (Weise 78). On the other hand, embryonic stem cells, by definition, come from a four or five day-old developing embryo. Not only does the harvesting of embryonic stem cells without permission from the embryo blatantly violate the Nuremberg Code, which dictates guidelines for scientific research on human beings, but the extraction of such cells results in the destruction of the embryo (Weise 42-43).

Embryonic stem cells can be defined as “blank cells that have not yet been categorized or programmed by the body, and can be prompted to generate any of the 220 human cell types.” (White). Because of this reason, these cells are extremely flexible; in cancer treatment, cells destroyed by chemotherapy or radiation can be replaced with new cells that adapt to any body tissue, whether it’s in the heart, lungs, brain, etc. Dead cells of almost any kind can be replaced with new stem cells. These stem cells are harvested when the embryo is referred to as a blastocyst, which is what some consider when life begins which is also where the controversy begins.

Stem cells are cells with the potential to become any type of cell in the body. There are two different types of stem cells: adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells are very valuable and are used mainly to treat blood diseases, but sometimes adult stem cells from the brain are used to treat neurological diseases. Adult stem cells can also be difficult to recognize in the adult body. Embryonic stem cells are more flexible than adult stem cells and can be used for a bigger variety of diseases (California’s Stem Cell Agency,2011). Some people do not believe in the use of embryonic stem cells, because they believe they are killing future life. Despite the controversy over how stem cells are gathered, stem cells have undeniable

Stem cells were first discovered during an experiment with mice in 1981 ("Stem Cell Information"). Scientists extracted stem cells from embryonic mice, which led to the discovery of vitro-fertilization in 1998. Virto fertilization is used to conceive a child in a laboratory, for parents who cannot conceive naturally. The fertilized egg is then implanted inside a mother's uterus and a child begins to form. Without the discovery of stem cells, this process might not have been able to give parents the children they have always wanted ("Stem cells: What they are and what they do"). However, this is causing some controversy in today's society. Embryonic stem cells are obtained from embryos not placed inside a female. Researchers felt it could harm or even kill the undeveloped child, so they felt the only solution was to grow the fertilized eggs in laboratories. The embryos are grown in labs with consent from their donors. The stem cell obtained from these embryos are being used to benefit burn victims so they could grow healthy skin, people with spinal cord injuries so they could have the chance to walk again and even people with type I diabetes to help produce their own insulin. If these cells are able to be manipulated enough, there might even be a cure for cancer or any other heart breaking diseases wrecking havoc today (Mayo Clinic Staff). Stem cells are also

There are a few different kinds of stem cells. These different type of stem cells depends on where it came from. As of now, there are only a couple sources for stem cell’s. The first kind of stem cells are adult stem cell. These adult stem cells can be obtained from specialized tissue in both children and adults. Since these cells are older, they are further along in the differentiation process, meaning they can only change into a few types of cells instead of the 200 that comes with embryonic stem cells. This is also called being pluripotent. (Miller

Embryonic stem cell research is already proving useful in the study of regenerative medicine, human development, cellular responses to disease, drug testing, and many other fields. This is just the tip of the iceberg. There is still much more to be discovered and created using the research platform this stem cell research provides. Although opponents argue it to be unnecessary, it is clearly important because embryonic stem cells are the most pluripotent stem cells, and all stem cells are required for the full potential of research. Embryonic stem cell research can also be justified, because the embryos come from sources where they would otherwise be destroyed, but they are instead contributing to the advancement of medicine and science. Finally, and notably, this field is supported, and is clearly leading to a new future of science and research. This research is important to everybody because it is creating and will continue to create cures, medicines, and therapies. Any person could be struck by a disease or ailment unexpectedly, and the more research scientists are able to do with a variety of options means that person may not have to experience discomfort or pain for long. This research is helping reduce or eliminate fatal disorders as well, meaning that it could possibly save a loved one’s life, if they struggle with a terminal illness. In these ways, embryonic stem cell research continues to be an issue that affects, and should be understood by, everybody. Embryonic stem cell research, though controversial, is a field so valuable and with so much potential that it is important to contribute

Today, what I would like to talk about is stem cells, which is a kind of the most important cells because it is a foundation for the development and growth of other lots of different cell types. There are many other tissues they are working with internal repair system and they also can divide necessarily for supplement to other cells if they are still alive. But, the condition is different of stem cell, which has two major functions compare with other cell types, remaining a stem cell continually or transforming to other cells that have specialized functions like bone marrow cells, and they can divide and renew by themselves for a long time. Today, there are two main stem cells are used by scientists with many different ways: embryonic stem

For years, scientists have been using stem cells to help cure diseases and research different illnesses that come from deformed cells. In recent years, however, a debate has risen over where we should get these stem cells from. Because of the way stem cells are helping sick individuals and furthering research, the use of stem cells shouldn’t be stopped. The sources from which stem cells are acquired, however, should be limited. While acquiring adult stem cells is completely safe and productive, using embryonic stem cells is unethical in the way they are acquired. For this reason, the use of adult stem cells should be allowed, but the use of embryonic stem cells should be banned.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), stem cells are 1 "Cells with the ability to divide for indefinite periods in culture and to give rise to specialized cells." Stem cells are basically unspecialized cells that can, with proper physiologic or experimental conditions, become specialized cells. Specialized cells are usually called differentiated cells. These differentiated cells can then be used to repair damaged cells and eventually cure many diseases and disorders in humans. This could revolutionize the way society treats health issues. Instead of trying to destroy and sure a disease or disorder, doctors could simply grow new cells that would be able to repair or replace the damaged cells and tissue.

In very simple terms, stem cells are cells that have the strong ability to become any number of other cells. “Stem cells are distinguished from other cell types by two important characteristics. First, they are unspecialized cells capable of renewing themselves through cell division . . . Second, they can be induced to become tissue-or organ-specific cells with special functions” (NIH 2002, 1). There are two extensive groupings of stem cells in which scientists primarily work with. These include embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are “derived from the developing

A cell that has the ability to develop or duplicate into any other type of cell the body may have whilst still alive, whether it be a specialised cell or other stem cells, by using the cell-division cycle, is what we call a stem cell. Stem cells can be uncovered from various sites around the body, such as amniotic fluid, which can be retrieved during a pregnancy, placenta and cord tissue during the development of embryos, umbilical cord blood that is saved after the umbilical cord is cut, teeth, embryos that are willingly donated during the blastocyst stage (4-5 days after fertilization), and adult bone marrow. Each of these stem cell types, wherever their source might be, holds the priceless competence to work as a huge medical advantage,

Stem cells are unique cells because of their special features. First of all, they are able to regenerate themselves through the process of cell division. Each time this process happens, each new cell created can become another type of cell. Secondly, if they undertake some conditions, they can become tissue and organ cells. There are two main types of stem cells that are being looked today, embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells (Also known as somatic stem cells). However, all stem cells have three main functions.

Stem cells are cells that the body uses to regenerate itself, and grow. The stem cells have no specializations until they are assigned to different parts of the body. They then become specialized with the purpose of replacing old, weak, or dead cells that need to be replaced. Stem cells can be found in every tissue, but to donate stem cells, researchers will remove them from bone marrow to be used in research of regenerative medicine. Stem cells are used to treat bone marrow diseases, blood diseases, and immune disorders. They are frequently used to treat blood cancers. The stem cells are injected into the bloodstream to make enough healthy blood that the white blood cells and stem cells fight off the disease.

That being said, what are these stem cells? They are “developmentally primitive, undifferentiated cells that have the capacity to make new copies of themselves (self-renew) and to specialize (differentiate) into various other cell types, such as blood, muscle, and nerve cells” (Hyun 935). There are two types of stem cell groups, one the embryotic (the most controversial) and the other being the adult stem cells. Embryotic stem cells are taken from less then week old embryos from a fertility clinic during what is