What is stem cell research?
“Stem” cells can be compared to “differentiated” cells. They show a lot of hope in the medical field of study, because of their ability to evolve into most any kind of cell. As an example neural cells that are in the brain and spinal cord that has sustained some kind of damage could be repaired or replaced by the stem cell.
When treating for cancer, radiation and chemotherapy can kill cells in your body, but new and healthy stem cells can repair the dead cells no matter where in the body like your brain, lungs, liver or the heart, because of the flexibility of stem cells.
Now where do stem cells come from? This is where the controversy begins. Through research we have found that there are three sources where one might get the cells from. Adult cells, umbilical cord, and the embryonic cells the latter one will be the most controversial. Embryonic stem cells come straight from an embryo before the cells start to differentiate. During this time the embryo is called a blastocyst. It’s been said that the blastocyst has no human traits.
You can find maybe 100 cells in a blastocyst, a large portion are stem cells that can be kept alive for a long period of time, growing in cultures the stem cells can double or multiply every 2 or 3 days. Now you have to decide do you want to help people with chronic ailments continue to have a better chance of living with stronger stems cells infused within their bodies, or will you support the taking of life to support the stem cell researchers complete their goal to further life. People that are pro life might not agree with this kind of stem cell line, because you will have to kill to gain the stem cells from the embryo. The embryo will have to be destroyed. It’s hard to be on one side or the other, but having abortions to support stem cell research is not good. People on the side of pro choice will