Stem Cells Essay

People have had severe diseases or possible injuries that have completely altered their lives. Ranging from heart damage, brain damage, becoming paralyzed, or suffering from severe injuries. Those people may have a way to regain their lives in the way of stem cells. Stems cells can help heal these wounded people and give them back their lives. As well as advancing understanding of other diseases and disorders and even finding cures for those diseases. That is why people should get their minds from thinking of abortion when they think about stem cells and think of the benefits of them. There are several other types of stem cells, not just stem cells acquired from fetuses.

STEM cell research according to scientists might be the key to saving lives due to organ failure, brain damage or even heart problems. The idea is stem cells provided by fetuses that have been aborted typically

The first type of stem cell, an embryonic stem cell, is known for being able to continuously multiply, as well as for being pluripotent. They can be “derived in vitro from the blastocyst of an embryo usually left over from in vitro fertilization” (Forraz & McGuckin, 2011, p.61). Unlike other types of stem cells, embryonic stem cells have yet to be used in any kind of clinical treatment of patients. The high risks of “immune rejection” or “teratoma formation” are serious obstacles (Harris, 2009, p.182). The second type of stem cell, adult stem cells, is primarily considered to be multipotent and may be found in “specific adult human tissues” such as the skin or bone marrow, just to name a few. Over the last twenty years, the amount of scientific research and trials using adult stem cells has grown significantly, despite their lower potency than embryonic stem cells (Forraz & McGuckin, 2011, p.61). Lastly, cord blood stem cells, are technically considered to be a special type of adult stem cell, but their youthful properties give them “greater restorative and regenerative potential.” Directly following the birth of a child, these stem cells can be collected from the blood in the umbilical cord (Steenblock & Payne, 2006, p.9). Embryonic, adult, and cord blood stem cells

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

Tissue specific stem cells can create different cells for different organs and are obtained from different organs and tissues. Embryonic stem cells can increase every cell type in an adult body and are obtained from the blastocyst, a ball of cells formed a couple of days after an egg cell is fertilized. Mesenchymal stem cells are typically obtained from bone marrow and can produce bone and fat cells. Induced pluripotent stem cells are made in a science lab by changing tissue specific cells into embryonic cells and they help scientists research normal development.

The 70's focused on research that involved fetuses in utero. The 80's shifted to research of transplantation of fetal tissue into adults with serious medical conditions such as diabetes, Parkinson's, and spinal cord injuries. The latest saga involves using cells from days-old "spare" embryos that are created in infertility treatment process and all are considered unethical and unmoral issues.

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.

Stem Cells are multi- cellular putty from which all tissues of the body are made.they have three general properties,. Those being that they are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods of time, they are unspecialized, and they give a rise to unspecialized cell types. Stem cells come from embryos, adult tissue, amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord blood. They serve as an internal repair system in the body. So when it comes to the transplant procedure the doctors are infusing healthy cells into your body to replace damaged or diseased bone marrow. Goals of the stem cell transplant depend on the individual situation of the patient. They usually include controlling or curing the disease, extending life, and improving the quality of life. (NIH)

Stem cells are special cells that have the ability to regenerate and repair damaged tissue. Embryonic stem cells appear to possess the ability to become almost any tissue within the body. This, in theory, means that a cell could be taken from one section of an embryo that may have become a part

Once the stem cells are derived from either the In Vitro Fertilization embryo, or the aborted fetus they are then put into a cell culture where they can grow. If the cells stay alive during this time period they are sent to other laboratories for research.

Amniotic stem cells are found in the amniotic fluid around a child just before it is born (Mayo Clinic Staff). Amniotic stem cells are primarily used for organ regenerations because there is a very rare chance that they will cause an immune system attack. Embryonic stem cells make up an entire embryo as it is developing. Embryonic stem cells, also known as blastocysts, start forming into vital organs, such as the heart and lungs, before the embryo is even a week old ("Stem Cell Information"). Adult stem cells, called somatic stem cells, are found in anyone who is no longer a fetus. They could be found in children and fully grown adults. Adult stem cells, however, are limited to what they can produce. They can only maintain and repair the tissue they are For example, the stem cells in adults can only be found in bone marrow, blood cells and fat cells (Mayo Clinic Staff). Adult stem cells still have the potential to be useful for society. Researchers are trying to alter the genes inside of an adult stem cell to make it more adaptable like an embryonic cell ("Stem cells: What they are and what they do"). These stem cells are called induced pluripotent cells and they cannot be used for curing any diseases because when you change the genetic makeup of something, you cannot always get the predicted outcome, so further research must be

Embryonic stem cells are just one type of stem cells. The second most popular type is adult stem cells. This kind of cell is usually found in much smaller numbers and are found in most adult tissues like bone marrow or fat (Stem cells: what are). When it comes to what they can be used for, adult stem cells are far less diverse. An adult stem cell is considered to be multipotent, meaning it can develop into a different cell type, but it is more limited than a pluripotent embryonic stem cell (What is the Difference). Not only are they harder to differentiate, but they are also harder to find (Stem Cell Basics). Adult stem cells are rare in the mature tissue of an adult and, therefore, harder to isolate and obtain (Stem Cell Basics). Most cell replacement therapies require stem cells

A stem cell is an undifferentiated cell of a multicellular organism which is capable of giving rise to indefinitely more cells of the same type, and from which certain other kinds of cell arise by differentiation. In simpler terms, it is a cell which has the potential to develop into a number of different cell types in the body. Because they are undifferentiated/unspecialised, this makes them capable of self-renewal by cell division, and can be induced to become specific mature cells with desired functions, meaning they can not only multiply, but turn into different types of tissues. In the world of health and medicine, this is very exciting.

The role of stem cells is they can develop into any type of body cell including the cells of blood, liver, brain, muscles, and many more. They are found in adult bone marrow, embryos, fetuses, and blood from the umbilical cord. Stem cell research is the latest advancement in biotechnology which shows how an organism develops from a single cell and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms. This technique has lead scientists to research the possibility of cell based therapies to treat disease, which is often referred to as regenerative or reparative medicine.

"Stem cells have the ability to develop into bone, muscle, cartilage, or other types of cells. The ability of these cells to develop into almost any cell type