...Stem Cell Research Stem cells are generic cells that can make exact duplicates of themselves indefinitely and can be used to form specialized cells of each tissue type. They are the foundation for every cell in the body. Stem cells are unique because they can self-sustain and replicate themselves. Scientists have found that stem cells can be programmed to perform many special functions in a body. There are two main types of stem cells that scientists have found to be the most promising in the reproduction of tissues. They are adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells can be found in the earliest stages of fetuses. Embryonic stem cells are unique because they can be programmed to be any kind of cell in the body. Embryonic research has been experimented much more on mice. There have been no proven tests on human embryonic cells. Adult stem cells are not as much of a heated debate as embryonic stem cells are. “The use of ESC’s (embryonic stem cells) is unacceptable to some people because they can only be harvested from embryos that are destroyed in the process” (Aldhous, Reich). Embryonic stem cells have to be taken from an unborn fetus, while adult stem cells can be acquired from a fully developed being. From the highest political viewpoint embryonic stem cell research is not looked upon with fondness. The Bush administration shut down all government funding of embryonic stem cell research. Adult stem cells, also referred to as multi-potent cells...
Words: 918 - Pages: 4
...Stem Cell Research Stem cell research has been happening for 30 or more years through bone marrow transplants, but has only been a major debate for about the past ten years with the first isolation of embryonic stem cells (UMichigan). According to a popular issues website the definition of stem cells is, "… contrasted with "differentiated" cells. They offer much hope for medical advancement because of their ability to grow into almost any kind of cell” (Pros and Cons…). One of the main debates is between stem cell research and religious views. Some religions such as branches Christianity believe that obtaining and using embryonic stem cells is a sin and should not be used for research or otherwise. Even though I identify as a Christian, I believe that stem cells should be utilized, as long as an egg is not fertilized only for the use of stem cells. One reason many people don’t agree with embryonic stem cell research is that they believe that scientists use embryos that have started to develop into babies. This is a myth (UMichigan). Scientists fertilize an egg in a dish, and use it 5 days after the fertilization when the embryo only contains about 100 cells, none of which are specialized (UMichigan). The embryo is no larger than a period at the end of a sentence (UMichigan). This embryo, although beginning to form, has no heart, no spine, no limbs, and no systems (UMichigan). If this was known by more people, then many people may change their minds about stem cell...
Words: 970 - Pages: 4
...Stem cell research is a massive topic of discussion within many groups of people around the world. Whether it is right or wrong is the question, however in stem cell research there is no such thing as wrong. People are usually against stem cell research because they are also against abortion and there are horror stories of the experiences patients and pathologists have had with abortion. People believe that stem cell research gets embryonic stem cells from an abortion clinic what an abortion clinic does with the fetuses is either send them to a pathology facility or they just throw them away in the trash. Stem cell research does not use aborted fetuses or embryos for collection of embryonic stem cells. The People against the idea of Embryonic...
Words: 1011 - Pages: 5
...Research paper on Stem Cell Research Legislation and the related legal issues: What is the history of Stem Cell Research Legislation in the United States? How does it compare to comparable statutes in the rest of the world? In this paper talk about what the current legislative state of affairs is and where the law on stem cells in the United States should go in the future and why. Make sure you use ample research and cited sources to support your arguments but make sure to state your own opinion on the issues as well. Stem Cell Research TJ AS OF: 2/4/2009--Introduced. Stem Cell Research Improvement Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research that utilizes human embryonic stem cells, regardless of the date on which the stem cells were derived from a human embryo. Limits such research to stem cells that meet the following requirements: (1) the stem cells were derived from human embryos donated from in vitro fertilization clinics, were created for the purposes of fertility treatment, and were in excess of the needs of the individuals seeking such treatment; (2) prior to donation, it was determined that the embryos would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded; and (3) the individuals seeking fertility treatment donated the embryos with written informed consent and received no financial or other inducements. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of...
Words: 3563 - Pages: 15
...Is Stem Cell Research Ethical? Reginald Lawrence Is it ethical for stem cells for the advancement of medical research? In the 1800s it was discovered certain cells could generate other cells. The 1900s brought upon more research in using stem cells. The ethical issue surrounding embryonic stem cells research arises because human embryos are destroyed in the process. I believe that the benefits outweigh the negatives and that a greater good can come out of using embryonic stem cells. The treatment of diseases and illnesses continually grows and improves. Embryonic stem cells have the potential to help rectify or even cure disease and illnesses that are thought to be incurable. However, the ethical battle over the sanctity of life rages on. Stem cells can be compared to the building blocks of the human body. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, they can develop into any other type of cell in the body. They are extracted from a cell before they differentiate. They have the capacity to make any of the 200 different cells in the body and can also self-renew or reproduce themselves. Currently, there are 89 stem cell lines, a family of constantly dividing cells, registered with the National Institute of Health (NIH). The first line was discovered in 1998. In 1996 Congress passed the Dickey-Wicker Amendment, which put restrictions on federally funding embryonic stem cell research if the embryo was created to be destroyed. In 2001, President Bush implemented guidelines to...
Words: 2537 - Pages: 11
...Views on Embryonic Stem Cell Research and Abortion Embryonic stem cell research is a hot topic in ethics now. Even if someone does not understand what it is, they have most likely heard of it. Before learning about the moral issues of embryonic stem cell research in class I did not have much of an opinion on it; I now understand how the process is done and understand the ethical issues that come along with the research. After reading articles and obtaining information about the subject, I think that embryonic stem cell research should be federally funded to see if there is better treatment for medical conditions or even a cure that we have not discovered yet. If results cannot prove that using embryonic stem cells as beneficial, funding should be ceased and researchers can start researching another subject to study. At least we can say we tried. Embryonic stem cell research is not immoral, in my opinion, unless there is not consent of the mother to do research on her embryos and the mother is participating in research in order to abort a baby. Many mothers-to-be are participating in In-Vitro and many embryos are made for implantation and the embryos that are not used are medical waste. It is a shame that these embryos are going to waste when they could be used to benefit the whole population, or utilitarianism. As for the embryos that are being stored and frozen, use them and do not let them go to waste. Embryonic stem cells have not yet differentiated into specialized cells for...
Words: 691 - Pages: 3
...Scientific research has come a long way since the first use of human embryos to treat and prevent diseases. The polio vaccine was invented in the 1950’s from the use of human fetal kidney cells, fetuses in uteri were used to develop techniques like amniocenteses and improving knowledge about congenital heart disease in the 1970’s, and in the 1980’s the transplantation of fetal tissue into adults to help with serious conditions like, diabetes or Parkinson’s (Gold, 2004). While there has always been concern and controversy over the use of human embryonic cells, today the debate is ethical. This ethical debate lies within the destruction of human embryos in order to use them for medical research. This paper will talk about how two different theories; utilitarianism and relativism view this ethical issue and the problem it presents, as well as my personal views on use of embryonic stem cell research. The theory of utilitarianism determines what is best by looking at the results of an act. According to Mosser (2010, section 1.7), “utilitarianism argues that, given a set of choices, the act we should choose is that which produces the best results for the greatest number affected by that choice.” When looking at the use of embryonic stem cells for research, utilitarianism looks at the end result. Embryonic stem cells have the potential to save lives by curing diseases and through the use of transplantation. While some utilitarianism’s may still view the destruction of these cells as the...
Words: 2265 - Pages: 10
...Stem Cell Cloning Research Braden Harrah Marshall University Abstract The term cloning of stem cell is used by scientists to describe many different processes that involve making duplicates of the different types of stem cells. In different types of cases, stem cells are duplicated for scientific study and no new results were found during the experiment of trying to clone stem cells. This led to the experiment that led to the cloning of Dolly the sheep in 1997. It used a cloning technique called that scientist have been trying to memorize and resulted in an animal that was a genetic twin. This technique can also be used to produce a stem cell from which cells called embryonic stem cells could be extracted to use in research into potential therapies for a wide variety of diseases. The diseases they are hopefully cure or give therapeutic help to is Parkinson’s and Alztimers disease. Introduction Stem cell cloning has been the overall climax for scientific research. Stem cell cloning has evolved ever since they found out what stem cells could do if they were cloned properly. Based on my research, the assumption that cloning stem cells can help mankind appear to be true. Throughout my research on cloning of stem cells I got the idea that if stem cells were cloned that they can cure common diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s. They need to practice on getting the cloning down right before even trying it on a human. They want to continue research on how to clone stems...
Words: 2706 - Pages: 11
...With recent progress in stem cell research, scientist may be approaching an amazing brake though towards the cure. Living an everyday life with such a horrendous disease like ALS is a very tough thing to do, mentally and physically. Embryonic stem cells are being used in order to help reduce the symptoms caused from Lou Gehrig’s disease and hopefully another step forward towards the cure. People in the community, who are against abortion and the use of embryo stem cells, are highly against this and are beginning to protest against the ALS Foundation website. The research I have conducted has taught me about man kind and what we are willing to do once we understand the reality of a subject or disease. We as humans are not always as harsh and rude, when we are faced with death or disaster, we always seem to find a way to come together and help each other in a time of need. Although ALS researchers may not be using the most standard types of research, at least the scientist are still trying. The important thing is that we are coming together, as a community, and trying to support people in need from this terrible...
Words: 2313 - Pages: 10
...Embryonic Stem Cell Research: Felicitous or Unscrupulous DANGEROUS KNOWLEDGE In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Dr. Frankenstein's monster is a threat to society therefore, Victor owes it to humanity to act as a safeguard. With the rise in embryonic stem cell research (ESCR), the creators owe society protection as well. In order to combat damage to cells, human embryonic stem cells are used as transplants however, this new technology faces backlash for ethical concerns. THE STUDY OF STEM CELLS, BIRTH DEFECTS, AND DRUG TESTING The most common use of ESCs is dedicated to understanding how these cells work with the purpose of treating “diseases ranging from heart disease to Parkinson's disease to leukemia”(Yu and Thomson). Researchers are also...
Words: 665 - Pages: 3
...Great Stem Cell Debate Stem cells have promised to be the new breakthrough in medicine; promising cures for diseases such as diabetes, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and spinal cord injuries. With all the potential stem cells have, why are we not using them to alleviate suffering for people? There is actually a lot of pushback on the use of certain types of stem cells. Between ethical and religious concerns, not much progress can be made to further our knowledge of this extraordinary cell. Everyone has differing opinions about stem cells and how they are used, but many do not know all the facts. Stem cells have the ability to cure diseases that we never thought to be possible, but we can only get to that point by continuing our research. Stem cells are defined as “unspecialized cells that have the potential to develop into many different cell types in the body” (Class Note). They are the cells that specialize into bone, blood, and muscle cells. They can replace damaged or old cells when injected and heal the compromised spot. If we can find a way to regenerate damaged tissues or organs, many fatal illnesses and injuries could be treated, or even cured. They have attracted the attention of the scientific and medical community because of their amazing ability to differentiate into specific cell types. Stem cells have the best possible hope for the future in regenerative medicine. There are two kinds of stem cells; embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic...
Words: 1754 - Pages: 8
...unearthed ways to derive embryonic stem cells from mice, eventually gaining the knowledge to extract them from humans, in 1998. Embryonic stem cell research is when an egg and sperm cell is obtained from a donor, mixed in a Petri dish, and the egg is fertilized to produce a stem cell line for research.The scientists begin this process by conducting in vitro fertilization, or an egg being fertilized out of the womb, and into a lab setting. A stem cell is essentially a “blank” cell, that’s capable of becoming another more differentiated cell type in the body, such as a skin cell, a muscle cell, or a nerve cell. In this case, a host cell where the embryo can prosper and grow to be used later on for research. In humans, mice, and other mammals, the embryo is a ball of approximately one hundred cells at this stage. Although embryonic stem cell research has great potential in deciphering the cause behind puzzling disorders such as Type 1 diabetes, Parkinson's, and heart infractions,...
Words: 771 - Pages: 4
...Embryonic Stem Cell Research Legislation and related legal issues Heidi Brannen Law 310 Professor Floyd June 1 Human embryonic stem cell research has been and will continue to be a very controversial issue in society all over the world. Many countries have recognized the importance of this research and its benefits, while others have continued to make such research illegal with no plans to change in the near future. This paper will be discussing the past, current, and hopeful future legislation in regards to embryonic stem cell research and how it could affect the future of medical advancement. Embryonic Stem Cell Research Legislation and related legal issues Research on human embryos and fetuses has been in development for decades with the first well known development being the polio vaccine which stemmed from work on cultures of human fetal kidney cells in the 1950’s. The controversy of such research is not so much in the science of the research itself, but in how the cells are obtained from unborn embryos and fetuses in their earliest stages of development. In the 1970’s, the controversy focused on research involving fetuses in utero, aimed at developing techniques such as amniocentesis and improving the understanding of conditions such as congenital heart disease, as well as on research involving tissue from aborted fetuses of the type that led to the polio vaccine. Federal funding of this research was halted until guidelines and safeguards...
Words: 1499 - Pages: 6
...ENGL 1010 Argumentative Paper: The use of embryonic stem cells for research. Stem cells are the center of large debates in today’s medical world. Stem cells are cells that are in an undifferentiated state and have the ability to transform into any kind of tissue depending on what the cells around them are. This ability to transform into any cell of the body makes them very interesting in medical research because they may have the ability to regenerate damaged human tissue. If adult stem cell research seems promising to cure some diseases, the research on embryonic stem cells seems unavoidable. That research is very controversial because those cells need to be taken from a live embryo; taking those cells will ultimately kill it. The embryonic stem cell research could lead the medical profession to find cures for diseases, giving hope to thousands of people, but is it worth killing a potential life for saving an existing one? Stem cells have a very high price (the lives of those embryos), but so many of those embryos may be destroyed anyway. Now, because the government does not want to take a real position on the problem, stem cell research is authorized as long as it does not use federal funds. Strict rules should be written encouraging research on stem cells but restricting the ways those embryos are collected, thereby allowing the United States to advance in modern medicine. Stem cells are cells that are undifferentiated. This means that they have no function yet; therefore...
Words: 1589 - Pages: 7
...Embryonic Stem Cell Research: The Next Best Thing Have you ever gone to the doctor when you are not feeling well? The doctor probably gave you some good advice and maybe a pill and you felt better in about a week. This happens every day all over the country every day. But what happens when good advice and a pill will not help this time? A diagnosis of organ failure, spinal cord injury, and diabetes, Parkinson’s disease or Huntington’s disease is life altering. After the shock wears off you might start researching different therapies and come across something called stem cell research. Stem cell research has been around since the 1970’s but has gotten a lot of attention in the last several years. It has even risen to the level of Presidential campaigns: Senator John Kerry (D) made embryonic stem cell research a major theme in his 2004 run for President. The controversial issue comes in when the discussion turns toward embryonic stem cell versus adult stem cells. Stem cells are undifferentiated cells found throughout the body in tissue and organs. Undifferentiated cell are cells that have not specialized. They are there to repair and maintain the tissue or organ where they are found. Stem cells are also found in in the cord blood in the umbilical cord of newborns. The last place is embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are very special because they are pluripotent; they are capable of becoming any cell in the body as opposed to an adult stem cell that is limited...
Words: 1246 - Pages: 5
