preview

Ethical Concerns Of Stem Cell Research Essay

Best Essays

Steven Weinberg, a famous theoretical physicist, once said, “It does not help that some politicians and journalists assume the public is interested only in those aspects of science that promise immediate practical applications to technology or medicine” (Doc, 2016, p. 1). Though this refers to many, if not all, fields of science when there are new technological advances, there is one in particular that falls under this assumption. There are two basic fields within stem cell research and the one under the most scrutiny is embryonic stem cell research. To be able to use their stem cells without killing them has not been developed yet, so many articles on ethical concerns of stem cell research are focused on this specific topic. Many areas of science are treated as unethical, but stem cell research, which is considered the worst,could single-handedly reshape the world as we know it.

Description of Stem Cells

Unlike the other cells that make up living organisms, stem cells are very different from the others by two distinguishing characteristics. First, they can be used to become tissue or other specific cells, mainly organs, with special functions. Second, they are generalized cells capable of restoring themselves through cell division (NIH, 2015). In some organs, including 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

Get Access