Stem Cells Essay

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For decades, biologists have been using stem cells to figure out possible cures for different diseases and even prevent them. Stem cells are cells that can become useable in certain tissues in the body (according to an infant), or tissue cells that are already found in blood, bones, the brain, and skin (in adults or children). Stem cells are being used for patients with lymphoma (begins in the immune system), leukemia (cancer of white blood cells), and other types of blood disorders. Stem cells come from adult stem cells, and embryonic cells. Embryonic (blastocyst) stem cells come from embryos that are usually three to five days old. They contain 150 cells that are useable for stem cell research. These embryos are usually created as in vitro fertilization (a bunch of eggs that are fertilized but only one is put inside of a woman). Reproduction happens when a male’s sperm is fertilized in a woman’s egg to create a zygote (cell). Scientists can verify the cells are embryonic by them being able to be duplicated and the cells ability to become other cell types; this makes embryonic cells flexible. Adult stem cells are found in adult tissues in very small numbers. These cells are only used in certain areas where they are found such as bone marrow or adipose tissue (fat). The technologies used are peripheral blood stem cells and bone marrow stem cells. They can be obtained by drawing blood which makes them easier to gather than stem cells from bone marrow. This is usually challenging because these blood stem cells aren’t very populated in the bloodstream. Bone marrow stem cell technology has been used for more than twenty years. According to the National Cancer Institute: “They are most effective when the ... ... middle of paper ... .... It may take researchers to repeatedly try to receive the desired stem cell line. Adult stem cells are found in tissues that are already in their mature stage, and are limited on their flexibility. Adult stem cells cannot be storage for very long, and may have genetic defects. Stem cell research has been around for some time, and many people have been cured from certain diseases because of it. Many scientists observe that embryonic stem cells are easier and flexible to use than adult stem cells Adult cells are diseased curable cells as well to a certain extent because they are taken from certain tissues that are already established in an area of the body. Stem cell research has long ways to go for scientists to be able to use them to cure all cancers, infectious diseases, and other health problems however stem cells are on the path of changing the world.

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