Essay on Human In Vitro Testing

outside of a living organisms. Though not as effective as in-vivo studies, the living cells of a

It is no secret that millions of animals a year are used for medical experimentation. One study “found the number of animals tested rose from 1,566,994 in 1997 to 2,705,772 in 2012” (Casey). It is my belief that researchers use virtue theory to defend their experimentations. While animal activists approach experimentation through the ethics of care. I am against animal experimentation, but I will also provide insight into why people believe it is ethically just.

|Unit 1:The Cell/Genes & Gene-Environmental Interaction/Mechanisms of |This unit will cover Chapters 1-3 & Chapters 6-10 in your McCance & Huether |

Cell culture was a very important area in which HeLa cells were used. Because of HeLa cells, they were able to have large quantities of cancer cells with which to conduct experiments. The cells were given to scientists and researchers who passed them on to others who gave them to even more scientists and researchers. The cells were injected with different drugs in the hopes of finding a cure for cancer and other diseases. HeLa cells did not grow like normal cells but were able to divide an unlimited number of times and provide unlimited amounts of cells for research. During our first semester we learned about cell division and how cells could only divide a certain number of times. HeLa cells were cancer cells taken straight from a cancer tumor and they defied this basic principal of cells division.

Once a cell has become specialised they can’t go back to their first state, where they can turn into

Animal testing is a common practice in current life that is necessary to ensure the safety of the humans that will be using the tested product. There are many good and bad aspects of animal testing, but the pros clearly outweigh the cons. Animal testing has been around since ancient times when animals were dissected to gain knowledge about the body and organs. The animals killed from animal testing make up a tiny percentage of the total animals killed every year. When just considering the animals used for food compared to the animals used for testing, testing animals make up a mere 2.6 percent of that number. Public safety far outweighs the lives of the small amount of animals killed.

The human body is made up of 100 trillion cells. All cells have the same basic structure (see figure 1) however some cells are specialised to suit a specific purpose. An example of this is the pancreatic beta cells found in the islets of Langerhans. These cells are specialised to synthesise the protein insulin that is involved in the metabolism of glucose in the cells. (Layden, 2010)

To support or not support animal testing practices has been a long debated topic. Animals have been used in medical and cosmetic tests since the 1900s leading to numerous medical treatment breakthroughs and ensuring the safety of everyday products we use. Recently animal advocate groups have called for the abolishment of animal testing, causing a divide on whether or not to continue animal testing. In order to keep innovating new solutions for diseases that plague our communities and loved ones, allowing the use of animal testing to end preventable tragedies must occur.

this research would be to identify the factors that are involved in the cell making process that determines cell specialization. A few of our extreme medical conditions, like birth defects and cancer, are a direct result of abnormal cell specialization. If researchers obtain a better understanding of the normal cellular process, they can isolate the causes of these deadly illnesses. The most exciting potential use for stem cells is the generation of tissues and cells. Many diseases are a direct result from complications of cellular functions or destruction of tissues in the body. Many people donate organs and tissues to replace failing or destroyed tissues. Unfortunately, there are many more people suffering from these disorders than there are organs to transplant. That is where stem cells step in. They will give humans a chance to have a renewable source of cells and tissues that will treat a slue of diseases, and disabilities such as, Parkinson’s, stroke, burns, Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injury, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and

are not able to give consent for this as would be required of a human. Other

Facilities that use animals for teaching, experimentations, surgery or testing purposes are known as research facilities. Currently, there are twelve animal research facilities in the state of Alabama ("General Information on Animal Research"). There are many different reasons why animals are used for research. Animals are used to test the products used in cosmetics, for biomedical research, for military defense and food production. Many people including the general public, scientists and government officials do not necessarily agree to the terms and conditions to which these animals are used for testing

The cell is the smallest unit able to sustain life, and they are often referred to as the building blocks of life. There are two primary types of cell, which are categorized according to the way their genetic material is packaged, rather than size or shape. These are:

When cell populations are used to form tissues and organs, proper 3D systems, with clinically relevant dimensions, are required to eventually scale up these findings into effective new treatments. 6

“Beauty without cruelty” is the outcry that can be heard from animal right activists around the world. The FDA does not require companies to perform tests on animals but if the cosmetic product contains chemicals that can be seen as toxins, testing becomes a necessity. There are currently thirteen safety tests that are performed on animals.

The National Institutes of Health began the U.S. National Nanomedicine Initiative program in 2005 by developing a national network of Nanomedicine Development Centers. “The two major goals of NIH Nanomedicine Initiative are: 1) understand how the biological machinery inside living cells is built and operates at the nanoscale and, 2) use this information to re-engineer these structures, develop new technologies that could be applied to treating diseases, and/or leverage the new knowledge to focus work