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Stem Cell Ethics Essay

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Stem Cell Ethics Essay

In today’s society there are many things that are deemed ethical or not unethical. Underage drinking, drug use, divorce, these are just a few that might be considered unethical. Stem Cell Research can fall into either category depending on a person’s views.
A stem cell is a biological cell found in every multicellular organism that can divide into different specialized cells. In a growing embryo, stem cells help maintain the regeneration parts of organs. “Cells grown in the lab provide scientists with the opportunity to "engineer" them for use in transplantation or treatment of diseases” (National Institutes of Health).
There are two different types of stem cells, embryonic and adult. Embryonic cells are in the inner cell mass and adult cells are found in tissues. “Embryonic stem cells exist only at the earliest stages of embryonic development and are capable of making any cell type in the body. Under the right conditions, these cells retain the ability to divide and make copies of them indefinitely. Scientists are beginning to understand how to make these cells develop into any of the more than 200 different types of cells in the human body” (Stem Cell Research).
“Adult stem cells are more limited and specialized than embryonic stem cells. They have the ability to make just one or two kinds of tissue, such as blood and immune system cells, brain or muscle cells. Adult stem cells also have a more limited capacity to replace themselves than do embryonic stem cells” (Stem Cell Research).
Controversy is found at the heart of all this medical research. The argument is that scientists are playing God by making a person in a lab just to harvest their organs. “The cells come from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, which is the term for a fertilized egg four days after conception” (Reaves). Before the argument for the research begins, considering at what point a fertilized egg is a human has to be decided. If a person’s stance is pro-life, he or she believe life beings at conception. If this is true, then scientists are indeed “growing” people to some extent in labs. If a person’s stance is pro-abortion, usually he or she will not consider the embryo a real person until the baby is born. Religious beliefs can play a big part in this decision.
Stem cell research offers the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat all types of diseases, conditions, and disabilities. To date, eighty different diseases have been successfully treated. Whether a person agrees or not, science is moving forward everyday finding more and more ways to utilize stem cells.

Works Cited
National Institutes of Health. "Frequently Asked Questions." Stem Cell Information. N.p., 18 May 2012. Web. 17 Feb. 2013.
Reaves, Jessica. "The Great Debate Over Stem Cell Research." TIME. N.p., 11 July 2001. Web. 16 Feb. 2013.
"Stem Cell Research." University of Michigan. N.p., 2012. Web. 16 Feb. 2013.

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