For years, scientists have been using stem cells to help cure diseases and research different

Stem Cell research and its funding have caused a lot of controversy throughout the past years. Stem cells are cells that are present in all living organisms. These cells have the potential to grow into any type of cell, including blood cells, nerves, muscles, and pancreatic cells. Stem cell research is essential because of the beneficial aspects it has to offer. Stem cells could potentially treat conditions such as Alzheimer 's, Parkinson 's, birth defects, strokes, Diabetes, cancer, and help in the reconstruction of severely damaged organs. Although stem cell research withholds great potential for many medical advances, a lot of controversy surrounds the sources and methods of obtaining stem cells and the possibility of improper usage of the knowledge acquired from research and experimentation. It is necessary for scientist to continue research as well as recognizing any ethical issues that may be present.

The transfer of information, often shared through scientific reports and research, puts this topic in a highly international spotlight. Many supporters believe that stem cells will be able to help solve once untreatable diseases or injuries such as spinal cord injuries, skin burns, Parkinson’s disease, and some blood disorders. However, the main argument is if stem cells should be used in finding therapeutic treatments. The use of embryonic stem cells is viewed by many as a moral inconsistency; it is opposed by religious organizations and individuals believing that this research should be abandoned and existing, alternative methods be adapted.

“How can the use of stem cells be so controversial?”, one may ask. If the stem cells are donated out of free will or were going to be destroyed anyway, how can putting them to better use be controversial? Sure, a potential life must be destroyed to save a life, but only before one can tell that it is a human. Should the use of stem cells for medical research and use be regulated? These questions and more will be discussed and pondered throughout this paper.

Stem cells are cells that are found throughout the human body. They reproduce over a long period of time without changing. Stem cells can produce specialized cells, such as brain, muscle or lung cells. Stem cells in the last few years have recently made a big debut because medical professionals have discovered so many unique qualities to stem cells. They are on the cutting edge of medicine because of all their uses and the qualities that make them so unique from any other cell in the body. Stem cells have the power to make so many breakthroughs in the medical world. Medical researchers have all ready found so many ways that stem cells can be used for the better of so many people. Genes play an important role in determining what genetic traits or mutations we receive. Researching stem cells can help determine this. Stem cell research is useful for learning many things about human development and about how the body has the power to repair itself. Researchers are finding new ways each day that stem cells can be used and the possibilities that they find for stem cells could be endless. A few ways they can be used to treat diseases, be used as graphs for burn victims or surgical use, and even to correct birth defects. The pros of stem cells are limitless.

First of all an understanding of what a stem cell is, where it comes from, and the significance of it's medical potential is essential. Stem cells are the "master cells" that form the human body or whatever other animal it is from. Stem cells can be extracted from adult tissues, bone marrow, umbilical cord blood ( ), and embryos in the blastocyst stage. Although scientists have found ways to manipulate the stem cells from adult sources into other types of cells, they claim that they are less capable of deriving the desired tissue and are not "biologically equivalent" ( ) to stem cells extracted from embryos.

There is little argument against using adult stem cells because when used, a donor consents to donate their cells. However, there are many arguments against using embryonic stem cells because these come from embryos, one of the earliest stages of a baby. There are those who fight against it because they believe that embryos have the same rights as every other human being and should not be used for this. Some feel very strongly because while taking the cells from it, the embryo is destroyed. However, the other side to the argument is that stem cells from these embryos can be used to help save many others from death. One can see how hard it is to decide what to choose because either way, there is a death and a life on the line. This also makes it hard for researchers to get funding to continue researching. However, technological advancements may help to prevent any more disagreements by erasing the notion of using embryos at all. There is hope that there is a certain way that extracting stem cells from the embryo may not harm it at all. It also may be possible to use adult stem cells in place of the embryo cells (Levine and Miller

“Over 100 million Americans suffer from diseases that eventually may be treated more effectively or even cured with embryonic stem cell therapy. Some researchers regard this as the greatest potential for the alleviation of human suffering since the advent of antibiotics” (White). However, not everybody agrees with this. While embryonic stem cells offer much hope for medical advancement because of their ability to grow into almost any kind of cell, the moral debate of the destruction of an embryo continues. Embryonic stem cells are taken directly from an embryo before the embryo 's cells begin to develop into their specific cells. While there may be promise of embryonic stem cells triggering medical advancements, the ongoing controversy continues to hinder research.

Stem cells have been in the news in recent years because they can grow and differentiate into many types of cell types, with much promise for treating a variety of diseases and injuries. Mention the term "stem cells" to family and friends, though, and you are likely to get a variety of responses and opinions. Why is this? Probably because much of the early research on these cells originated from human embryos, and there are many ethical and legal debates about the procurement and usage of these cells. Scientists are now utilizing stem cells of different origins; opening up the research and treatment options for humans and pets. Differing from embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells are procured from a variety of tissues, including skin, fat (adipose) and bone marrow, among other tissues. Adult stem cells are less controversial because the samples are easily obtained and the "host" is not destroyed, as with an embryo. Stem cells can

They are will be many people’s lives saved because the wait can be so long to wait when it comes to an organ. There is many cons to why not to do research on embryonic stems cells. The cells are derived from a human embryos and for them to be obtained the embryo must be disassembled. Then the once done disassembling the component cells are then grown in culture. Many people believe that life begins at conception so the stem cells used for research should have a legal treatment and status as a human beings. Embryonic stem cells can cause tumors due to rapid growth when injected into adults. The human embryonic stem cells will require the use of drugs which is lifelong so as to prevent rejection of the tissue.

We should allow the use of stem cell research because stem there are alternatives to using embryonic stem cells to further our understanding. Embryonic stem cells are wanted because they have pluripotent abilities. Pluripotent means that cells can turn into the tissue it was helping

Louis Capps once said, “The refusal to acknowledge the scientific value of embryonic stem cell research is one more tragic misstep.” The world is littered with seemingly incurable diseases that affect many lives every day, yet one controversial topic maybe able to save countless lives both young and old. Remarkably, researchers have discovered ways to extract stem cells from adults instead of from donated embryonic tissue. This attenuates the ethics surrounding the sanctity of embryonic life . Furthermore, while the possibility of fad clinics is a reality that all new science faces, it does not counter the hard evidence of the countless lives that have been saved as a result of stem cells. The argument that stem cell therapy is simply a consumer trap utilizes "slippery slope" logic at best, and has no correlation to the actual science of stem cell research. In a way, to stop stem cell research would be more detrimental than keeping it going. In the long run, more lives are projected to be saved than culled, furthering the mentality that research should be allowed to

When performing stem cell research there are some pros and cons that arise in this type of scientific area. Stem cell research could possibly assist the treatment of a variety of medical issues on today’s society. It could potentially bring mankind closer to improved medicines and could help find a cure for multiple diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Heart Disease, Parkinson’s, Diabetes, Birth Defects and countless more that are present in our world today. Stem cell research is also used to replace and restore injured tissue and this could lead to a reduced risk of transplants in the near

Ever since the first human embryos were grown in a laboratory, the world of regenerative medicine has experienced the revolutionary uses of embryonic stem cells. However there are concerns about embryonic cell research crossing ethical and humane boundaries. Recently a discovery of the long term health benefits from stem cells that has allowed people to see beyond the concerns (“Human cloning legislation in Congress”). The U.S. is the forefront for groundbreaking research but is also home to the strongest opposition. Despite the concerns over the controversial methods that embryonic stem cells suggest, this research is a useful tool in the fight against fatal and necrotic diseases.

a. Stem cells are a very unique and useful medical advancement. The basic idea of a stem cell is: A cell that is able to differentiate into a specialized cell type. These are different from other cells, because each organ and body system has unique cells for their functions (Like how blood has red and white blood cells, while muscles have cardiac, smooth, and skeletal muscle cells). Stem cell aren’t specialized for any function or organ yet, but are able to differentiate into a unique cell type when needed.

Scientists once believed that human adult stem cells could be used, but that idea was quickly put to rest when scientists discovered that the cells may be damaged by sunlight or toxins in the air, as well as the fact that adult stem cells may contain more DNA abnormalities. Stem cell research could one day lead to the cures of diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease (NIH, FAQ's, 1).