There are many questions regarding stem cell research. What are they? Why are they important? Where do you get them? How can they be used? What ethical issues have they brought up among us? Stem cell research is a very controversial, yet promising study.
“Stem cells are like little kids who, when they grow up, can enter a variety of professions. A child might become a fireman, a doctor, or a plumber, depending on the influences in their life- or environment. In the same way, these stem cells can become many tissues by making certain changes in their environment” (Parks 8).
A stem cell is an undifferentiated cell that is able to regenerate itself into another type of cell. Stem cell research began with the discovery of cells in 1665, when Robert Hooke recognized cells as the basic unit of life. In 1827, Karl Ernst von Baer says that mammalian life begins with the insemination of an egg. Later, in 1838, Matthias Jakob Schleiden states that the basic structure of all plants is the cell. The following year, in 1839, Theodor Schwann declares that cells are also the basic structural unit of all animals, constituting, together with Schleiden’s discovery, the beginning of cell theories. In 1855, Rudolf Virchow states an essential law of cell behavior: “all cells come from existing cells”. Years later, S. L. Schenk tries to fertilize a human egg outside the human body, in 1878. His attempt fails, but becomes the first recorded work to accomplish ex utero fertilization. In 1902, Gottlieb Haberlandt suggests the idea of totipotency for plant cells (every cell in a mature plant has the ability to change back to embryonic form that can grow and differentiate into every cell the plant is made of). In 1909, Alexander A. Maximow predicts the exi...
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...ss called commitment. Stem cells that are partway down one of these branches are called adult stem cells because they are destined to become specific types of tissue in the adult and are thought to have lost the full potential of embryonic stem cells (Parks 10).
Works Cited
Haerens, Margaret. Embryonic and Adult Stem Cells. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2009.
Herold, Eve. Stem Cell Wars: Inside Stories from the Frontlines. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006.
Newton, David E. Stem Cell Research. New York, NY: Facts On File, 2007. Print.
Panno, Joseph. Stem Cell Research: Medical Applications and Ethical Controversy. New York, NY: Facts On File, 2005. Print.
Parks, Peggy J. Stem Cells. San Diego, CA: Reference Point, 2009. Print.
Parks, Scott, Christopher Thomas. Stem Cell Now: From the Experiment That Shook the World to the New Politics of Life. New York: Pi, 2006.
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
The editorial, ?Stem Cells and the Logic of the Nazis,? appeared in the September 3, 2000 issue of the Los Angeles Times. Even though the Los Angeles Times, a widely distributed newspaper, has a slightly liberal slant, this editorial displays a strongly conservative view on stem cell research. Thus, the author of the editorial has to be very cautious in the tone that he uses in order not to offend liberal readers. George Weigel, the author of this editorial, picks apart what he sees as the fallacious argument of Michael Kinsley, a well-known libe...
" An Overview of Stem Cell Research | The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity."
Currently, the limitations on research are too restricting, as researchers are limited to resources already gathered. There are sixty existing stem cell lines today, already derived from embryos. Researchers are to only use these lines. These limitations severely hinder stem cell research. The government, especially President Bush, should re-evaluate stem cell research.
Stem cell research began in 1956 when Dr. E Donnall Thomas performed the first bone marrow transplant (“Adult stem cells are not more promising,” 2007). Since that time, research has evolved into obtaining cells from a variety of tissues. According to stem cell research professors, Ariff Bongso and Eng Hin Lee (2005), “Stem cells are unspecialized cells in the human body that are capable of becoming cells, each with new specialized functions” (p. 2). Stem cells are in various adult tissues, such as bone marrow, the liver, the epidermis layer of skin, the central nervous system, and eyes. They are also in other sources, such as fetuses, umbilical cords, placentas, embryos, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are cells from adult tissues that have been reprogrammed to pluripotency. Most stem cells offer multipotent cells, which are sparse...
The conflict surrounding stem cell research is, with ethical consideration, whether it is a good or bad. The majority of Americans are advocates due to the possibilities of medical advancement, thus saving thousands of lives. Those in opposition believe that it is against
This report does a fairly comprehensive job on educating the public to the definition of stem cells, describing them as “a diverse group of remarkable multipotent cells that are relatively undifferentiated and unspecialized cells of the body.” Stem cells have the capacity for unlimited self-renewal and the possibility to produce differentiated descendant cell types. The main in...
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).
What if there was a cure for cancer or a treatment for spinal injuries? Would you support the research? What if there was a way that you could repair damaged nerves. Some believe that stem cells may hold the answers to some of these questions. What are stem cells and why should you or I even care about them? Some believe that they are a miracle treatment waiting to happen while others believe that stem cells are highly immoral. Why does so much controversy surround the issue? Why is the conversation of stem cells feared by some and praised by others? To some stem cells are the medical hopes for the future, something for us to hang on to as we do battle with major diseases that include cancer, Parkston’s disease and spinal injuries. To others stem cell researchers are murderers who are trying to play God’s hand. A many have pledged their support to stem cell research including a few well known celebrities. Reeves’, who was best known for his role in the early Superman movies, and J. Fox two well-known celebrities, have pledged to stem cell research, both have created a private fund for the research of stem cells. This celebrity however has not swayed everyone to support stem cell researches cause. Just as there are supporters of stem cells there are those who believe that the use of stem cells is immoral. Since the first stem cells were separated there have been doctors, religious groups and even some political figure head have shown their opposition for stem cell research. Even with the knowledge and promise that stem cells show many of those who truly oppose stem cells have not changed their mind. The question is are their reasons good enough to halt the research of stem cell or are they just holding back what will soon be inevi...
This report aims to investigate the different views held on the pros and cons of development in stem cell research. This report will provide background to the debate, its social significance, parties that are involved and analysis of the arguments related to the topic researched.
Hirsen, James L. “Who’s the Victor on the Stem Cell Debate?” 7 Aug. 2001. 24 Sept. 2007 < http://www.firstliberties.com/stem_cell_debate.html>.
Within the past few years, scientist have made several breakthroughs with human stem cells. These breakthroughs have catapulted the issue of stem cell research into the middle of a national debate. Most people have no problem with the research itself, however the source of the stem cells (adult or human embryos) used in research is the primary cause of the debate. Some people feel that destroying an embryo is comparable to murder, even if the research it promotes may help people with serious illnesses. Other believe that an embryo is not a person and therefore research on an embryo is the same as research on any other group of cells.
Anderson, Ryan. "Stem Cells: A Political History." First Things. First Things, November, 2008. Web. 10 Feb 2012.
The stem cell research controversy is one of the major headlines in bioscience and has been discussed and debated numerous times throughout the last decade or so.
Researchers in this field are seek to know how stem cells can be used to develop into specialized cells or tissue, which aims restore lost function in damaged organs or even grow new fully functioning organs for transplant.