Why Are Stem Cells Important

482 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Embryonic/adult stem cells

Stem cells are extremely important necessities in multicellular organisms, such as animals and humans. They are used to repair damaged tissues by the process of cell division and they can also transform into different tissues and organs.1 Stem cells are important because they have the ability to aid with diseases, such as leukemia. They also generate specialized cells, meaning that without stem cells, important organs that power the human body would not exist.2

Stem cells have multiple unique properties. They are unspecialized, which means that they have no distinct function. They have the ability to replicate multiple times, unlike other cells such as muscle, nerve and blood cells.3 Stem cells can also differentiate themselves into different types of cells; their ability to do so is called potency.4 …show more content…

Embryonic stem cells have the ability to differentiate into any type of cell. They are mainly found in freshly fertilized eggs, also known as an embryo.5 Adult stem cells are unspecialized and serve the purpose of repairing the tissue they reside in with the use of cell division.6 They are found in tissues and organs along with differentiated cells. There are some similarities and differences regarding these two different types of stem cells. Apart from their abilities and place of origin, embryonic stem cells are very commonly found whereas adult stem cells are rarely found in mature tissues and they are difficult to isolate from their tissue of origin.7

Induced pluripotent stem cells are adult stem cells that have been redirected to enter embryonic stem cells. They are used to test and create drugs as well as modeling diseases.8 The goal of induced pluripotent stem cells is to gain knowledge on how to repair damaged tissues by reprogramming

Show More
Related

  • Should Stem Cells Be Used In Medical Research Essay

    604 Words  | 2 Pages

    Stem cells are the building blocks of the human body. Embryos consist of unspecialized stem cells that transform into the various specialized cells in the body such as cardiac, muscle or bone cells. Fetuses also have stem cells. However, the stem cells are divided into types like muscle, bone or nerves and don't perform a specialized function. Surprisingly, adult bodies also contain stem cells. In adults, stem cells are undifferentiated but limited to specific tissue type. When needed, the stem cells transform into the cells needed for repair and maintenance. The most common source of adult stem cells is bone marrow. Researchers also acquire stem cells from umbilical cords. Without stem cells, embryos could not develop into fetuses and adult

    Read More

  • Stem Cell Research: A Christian Perspective

    1361 Words  | 3 Pages

    The body is composed of cells, which form the basic unit of life. Unique cells found in the body are the stem cells. These cells are biological cells that are not specialized for particular functioning in organisms. They can be distinguished since they have the ability to differentiate or divide into multiple body cells, and their ability to replicate self. They are unique in the way they can renew themselves by undergoing cell division when inactive for a long period. It is also possible to induce stem cells to organs or tissue cells under some conditions. When the cells divide, they replenish the cells in a living organism. They serve as an internal system that repairs and replaces the tissues that are worn out.1 Dividing cells may remain as stem cells or become specialized in their functions, for instance red blood cells, brain or muscle cells.

    Read More

  • Positive and Negative Attention on Stem Cell Research

    716 Words  | 2 Pages

    Stem cells are unique because they are pluripotent meaning they can give rise to all cell lineages.

    Read More

  • Stem Cells: What How and Why?

    1133 Words  | 3 Pages

    Stem cells are valuable due to the fact that they are ? non-designated,? (have no specifically assigned task in the body, i.e. liver cells, brain cells, skin cells, etc.) and they also have the ability to divide indefinitely. Thus, theoretically stem cells could replace any damaged or lost specifically designated cells within the body.

    Read More

  • Technology Ethic: Stem Cells

    1499 Words  | 3 Pages

    Stem cells can be thought of as blank slates or cells that have yet to become specialized. They can be transformed to become cells with special functions.

    Read More

  • Bonnie Steinbock's Arguement For Embryonic Stem

    569 Words  | 2 Pages

    Bonnie Steinbock, in her paper entitled, “What Does “Respect for Embryos” mean in the Context of Stem Cell Research?” argues that using human embryos for embryonic stem cell research is immoral and illicit. She forms her argument on the “consideration of the human subject from the moment of conception” (Bioethics 592). The author supports her argument with five reasons as to why using human embryos for ES research. She explains that the moment the gametes unite, an embryo with human rights is formed. Building off of her first statement, the author explains that it is immoral and illicit to intervene in the development of an individual with rights in a non-favorable way, because

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Pluripotent Stem Cell

    1446 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...nt stem cells hope to mimic, but I believe that with the current and future research, iPSCs could prove to be even more useful than embryonic stem cells. Firstly, it cannot simply be assumed that cultured embryonic stem cells in vitro behave identically to actual embryos in vivo. Should embryonic stem cells are often used as a control when comparing and assessing the efficacy of induced pluripotent stem cell? If embryonic stem cells are also considered “man-made” and do not accurately represent in vivo embryos, then it cannot be assumed that they are a superior research model than induced pluripotent stem cells. Furthermore, the versatility, cost-effectiveness, and ethically favorable qualities of induced pluripotent stem cells, combined with new technologies and research methods that continue to be discovered suggest that iPSCs have a bright and productive future.

    Read More

  • Stem Cell Research

    1328 Words  | 3 Pages

    Scientists would be able to grow spinal cells from pluripotent stem cells. These cells could possibly repair spinal cord damage. Those afflicted by paralysis, such as Christopher Reeve, could possibly move again. Stem cells could also be used to grow nerve cells, possibly combating Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s. While it will be many years before scientists may actually be able to find a way to combat these diseases, there is a great promise in stem cells.

    Read More

  • The Ethical Considerations of Stem Cell research

    1604 Words  | 4 Pages

    Stem cells have the ability to transform into any kind of cell. These cells can divide and also replenish other cells in the body, such as muscle cells, brain cells, red blood cells, or they may just simply remain as stem cells. Stem cells are able to replicate even after long periods of dormancy. They naturally repair damaged tissues and can be experimentally induced to work with particular tissues and organs (NIH, 2013).

    Read More

  • Stem Cells Essay

    983 Words  | 2 Pages

    Stem cells help us to maintain and heal our bodies, as they are undifferentiated cells, their roles are not yet determined. They have the ability to become anything during early life and growth. Stem cells come from two sources, namely: embryonic stem cells (embryo’s formed during the blastocyst phase of embryological development) and adult stem cells (see figure 3).

    Read More

  • Annotated Bibliography On Embryonic Research

    1094 Words  | 3 Pages

    Opposing Viewpoints offers unbiased opinions on the future of embryonic research as well as how they have currently been used to cure many diseases. In addition, the article specifies how developing ethical standards to ensure that the use of embryos remains moral, allows for science to remain ethical. Many of the topics mentioned in this viewpoint consider bioethics and remain consistent throughout. Essentially, the purpose of this article was to establish a middle ground between ethics and science.

    Read More

  • Making Blood Cells In The Laboratory Summary

    548 Words  | 2 Pages

    The article “Making Blood Cells in the Laboratory” by Linda Marsa talks about how teams at Cornell and Harvard universities were able to create hematopoietic stem cells. The hematopoietic cells ultimately serve as the essential components for blood. They also make the blood cells the body will need throughout life, which will be continuously replaced. To accomplish making these hematopoietic cells the Harvard team used human skin cell to make induced pluripotent stem cells, researchers then genetically reprogram these adult cells to an embryonic stem cell. From there the stem cells can grow into any kind of cell. By adding proteins that switched on genes the group successfully turned the induced pluripotent stem cell into an immature hematopoietic stem cell-like cells. The

    Read More

  • Stem Cell Informative Speech

    1019 Words  | 3 Pages

    Stem cells vary in types and how they are formed. Some stem cells can do what other stem cells can't, and that's the reason researchers use all types of stem cells when investigating. One type of stem cells is the hematopoietic stem cells. The hematopoietic stem cell is far from the blood and bone marrow. It can rebuild itself and is different from any other cell.

    Read More

  • Embryonic Stem Cells

    1310 Words  | 3 Pages

    Stem cells are a type of cell unlike any other inside a human. They have unique properties as to what they are or can become. The U.S. Department of Human and Health Services states, “Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth” (stem cells). Because of this capability, they are the base of every single muscle and tissue in the human body. ”When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell,” or any other type of cell (stem cells). This special kind of cell has opened a new door of possibilities to all of

    Read More

  • The Benefits of Human Cloning

    1013 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Benefits of Human Cloning In recent years, many new breakthroughs in the areas of science and technology have been discovered. A lot of these discoveries have been beneficial to the scientific community and to the people of the world. One of the newest breakthroughs is the ability to clone. Ever since Ian Wilmut and his co-workers completed the successful cloning of an adult sheep named Dolly, there has been an ongoing debate on whether it is right or wrong to continue the research of cloning (Burley).

    Read More

More about Why Are Stem Cells Important

Open Document