Stem Cell Research
What is a Stem Cell?
Stems cells are immature cells found in embryos that can develop into any kind of specialized cells. They can form virtually any cell of the human body. These types of stem cells are known as pluripotent cells. Multipotent cells are stem cells that are more mature; they can be found in adults and children. Multipotent cells are not as flexible as pluripotent cells, as they have already developed into more specialized human cells.
Benefits of Stem Cells
Benefits of stem cell research can be overwhelming. Today, millions of people around the world suffer from incurable diseases. Stem cell research could help the scientific community find a breakthrough in developing a cure. By observing
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Stem cells, taken from a cloned embryo of the subject, could be used to grow organs and remedy the organ donation problem. Stem cells from a different embryo could also be used to create organs. If scientists opted to grow an organ from the subject, there would be a much lesser chance of tissue rejection. One of the current problems with organ donation is that the host body rejects the transplant tissue because it is “foreign.” If the organ came from the recipient, it would essentially not be foreign tissue.
Professional, Legal, and Ethical Issues
While there are enormous benefits to stem cell research, many professional, legal, and ethical questions arise about stem cells. Should stem cell researchers continue their research for profit? Or should they continue their research for the benefit of society? Those motivated by personal profits will be more motivated to uncover the most about the benefits of stem cells. However, these same individuals may opt to achieve the end, whatever the means. Individuals motivated by the benefit of society may take longer to research stem cells, but they may be more careful throughout the process.
Should stem cell research even be legal? Should the government fund it? Currently, stem cell research continues, but it is limited to research on existing stem cell lines. Opponents of stem cell research are fighting
Stem cells should definitely be researched and experimented on. Doctors and scientists have high hopes that stem cells in the future can cure many conditions and diseases. The diseases that can be likely
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.
Stem cell research has been quite a controversial topic since its origin in the 1960s by Gopal Das and Joseph Altman. Of course, anything that uses a human embryo would be. Stem cell research could open a vast number of new doors for modern science, it could let us test new drugs, one of which could be the unfound cure for AIDS or Alzheimer’s disease. However, this branch of science comes at a high price, the price of a human life that is only five to six days
If we were unable to research or experiment to better our society, we would not be anywhere near where we currently are in the medical world. The benefits of stem cell research really could push us that much more forward and get us that much closer to possibly finding cures for incurable diseases. This is a huge milestone for science and should continue to be researched. However, no matter the benefits stem cell research has and will remain an ethical debate for many years to come. We need to be able to open our mind to all the opportunities that stem cell research could generate instead of automatically jumping to conclusions regarding
If the government does not adequately fund research on stem cells, it makes sense that large amounts of discoveries would be made. It is in the government's best interest to represent the country as a whole, which would not be possible by taking one specific side of the ethical debate. Certainly, there are major advantages, as well as major issues, with stem cell research, but the most critical area of dispute comes with the idea of reproductive cloning through stem
Embryonic stem cell research could one day hold the key to many new scientific discoveries if it is continuously funded in the years to come. I chose to base my research around the question, Should embryonic stem cell research be government funded? When I finish highschool I hope to pursue a career in the medical field. Although I wish to become a doctor and may not be directly researching stem cells, they may one day be a treatment that I will have to administer to patients. To answer this question I first had to understand why embryonic stem cells are a topic for such heated debates. This is another thing that interested me greatly. I had known about how stem cells were produced, but I had not known about the ethics and great amount of
There are many benefits of supporting stem cell research, and these benefits include saving the lives of people with critical diseases; “Stem cells are also helpful in potentially treating problems like repair or replace damaged organs, birth defects, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries and Alzheimer’s disease. If people get good treatment of such diseases, it will be beneficial for them as well as the society” (Joseph). This quote demonstrates many of the illnesses that stem cells can cure with the proper research. Many argue that stem cell research is unethical, however the possible outcomes say otherwise. Furthermore, these cells can also undergo the reproduction of more life saving cells on their own; “It is possible to grow embryonic stem cells for a year at the least in a few cases, particularly when well determined protocols are employed.
Therefore, much of the critic’s arguments are invalid due to the fact that the embryo won’t develop into a child. Stem cells are the beginning of an enormous scientific breakthrough, a breakthrough that critics are simply putting off. Embryonic stem cells have the potential to treat some of the worst diseases we face today, such as cancer. Many critics argue that adult stem cells offer a good alternative. However, adult stem cells have become specialized and only have the ability to become specific type of tissue. Unlike adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells have the ability to create any type of cell within the body, as well as replicate themselves. This difference is proof alone that embryonic stem cells are vital to treating the more complex illnesses. Due to this, embryonic stem cells would create a larger bank of replacement cells and tissues. This is important because although there is organ and tissue donation, there is a higher demand for them than we have to supply. With embryonic stem cells, there would be more available treatment for patients with diseases such as macular degeneration, spinal cord injuries, heart disease, and more. In the case of heart disease, with the use of embryonic stem cells, healthy heart tissue could be generated in the lab and then transplanted. This would lead to a quicker treatment option than waiting for an available tissue and organ through
Stem cell research is often at the forefront of heated ethical debates due to its assessment of human life. If stem cell research cannot be ethically defended, then it should not be conducted. “You cannot defend a study ethically unless the presumed cost is lower than expected benefits. The cost-benefit analysis of scientific research needs to include human/animal discomfort/risks, environmental issues, material costs, etc” which is necessary to support the positive outcome which the research claims to provide (experiment-resources, 2008).
One of the most controversial topics these days is Stem Cell Research. There seems to be a split opinion among societies about the research and whether it is socially and morally acceptable. As a society, we need to open our minds to the possibility of broadening our scientific horizons with stem cell research, and take the time to learn and understand whatever we can about it.
As long humans have existed, having good health continues to remain crucial for a longer lasting life. As scientists find new medical discoveries throughout time, humans get healthier and their life expectancy goes up. Stem cell research is a new type of field of research, its goal is to improve and
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
For many years in the past, there has been a major controversy over the topic of stem cell research. It seems to be that the main controversy when it comes to the topic of stem cell research is an ethical debate, and because of this it seems that the side opposing stem cell research always wins due to their use of pathos when it comes to their argument. I personally do not side with those against the idea of stem cell research because I believe that the pros outweigh the cons when you break it down this way. Stem cell research could be the gateway to finding a cure or treatment for many of the major diseases out in the world today such as, cancer, heart disease, spinal cord injury, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, a possibly organ failure. Even though there are all these cures that could be found through stem cell research one thing is making it very hard to continue their work, and that is the lack of the funding needed to continue to make huge impacts on the lives of those around us.
Since stem cells can be used in so many areas of medical treatment, it is ashamed that there is such a controversy over this. Stem cell research could be life changing or life saving because of all the new things that can be done with stem cells. According to CBS News; body parts can now be manufactured
In recent events, stem cell research has caught the attention of the nation and stirred up controversy about the research and ethics along with it.