...H Ronquillo MCD BIO 98T March 18, 2011 Final Project The Birth of an Alternative: Using Umbilical Cord Stem Cells to Improve Stem Cell Research Stem cells are intriguing. They are so dynamic, so puzzling, and they contain many of biology’s deepest mysteries. Generally, cellular stemness is characterized by a cell’s self-renewal and potency, the ability to differentiate into specific cell types. In reality though, the science of stem cells goes beyond these distinctions. From studying human development to creating new therapeutic alternatives for diseases, embryonic stem cell (ESC) research promises numerous benefits as it has progressed extensively in the past decade. But because of the ethical issues surrounding the destruction of human embryos, other alternatives have had to be found. So far, adult stem cells (ASCs) have been used for therapeutic purposes such as bone marrow transplants. However, donor DNA-matching has been an enduring problem with this approach. A few years ago, Shinya Yamanaka discovered induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which derives pluripotent stem cells from somatic cells, thereby overcoming both ethical and donormatching issues. Although iPSC presents much promise, the newness of this technology makes it inadequate for immediate use. Now, newer discoveries have been made. Aside from ESCs, ASCs, and iPSCs, stem cells have also been found in postnatal tissue, particularly in the umbilical cord. These umbilical cordderived stem cells have been proposed...
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...U.S Stem Cell Industry Management of Technology - MGMT 620 (EMBA) Professor – Dr. Gopalakrishnan Norman Cousar Draft Version 3 December 16, 2011 Due to previous government regulations, US companies have not used embryos for stem cell research, and international companies have gained a first mover advantage in commercializing stem cell treatments and therapies. The use of stem cells has opened up a new field called regenerative medicine or cell therapy, which replaces damaged or diseased cells that are in the body with new ones. Stem cells have the ability to develop into many different cell types within the body during the early life and growth cycle. Stem cells repair internal system, by dividing and replenishing other cells. They distinguish themselves by being unspecialized cells, renewing themselves through cell division and under certain physiologic conditions, be chemically induced to become tissue or organ-specific cells with particular functions. There are several different types of Stem Cells: Embryonic Stem Cells (hES), which are derived from embryos, mostly from eggs fertilized in vitro and donated for research with the donor’s permission. Adult Stem Cells (hES), are undifferentiated cells found among differentiated cells in tissue and organs, which can differentiate themselves to yield some or all of the major specialized cell types of that tissue or organ. iPSC Stem Cells: Are also adult cells, genetically reprogrammed to an embryonic stem-cell like...
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...DNA Technology BIO/240 May 6, 2013 DNA Technology INTRO – LEE DNA Technology: Cloning, Gene Therapy, and Stem Cell Research DNA technology encompasses a wide variety of applications and because of the duplicating nature of DNA, it is easy to see how humans could benefit from its manipulation. One such technology is cloning. Cloning technology comes in three forms: recombinant DNA cloning, reproductive cloning, and therapeutic cloning. Cloning Recombinant DNA cloning consists of transferring DNA fragments from an organism to a self-replicating element, like a bacterial plasmid. The fragments join with the cloning vector and are reproduced with the host cell. This technology is most commonly known for its use in genetically modified foods. DNA fragments that code for better tasting, higher nutrient qualities are spliced into regular plants to produce super foods (US Dept of Energy Genome Program, 2009). Reproductive cloning takes all the genetic information out of a cell and replaces it with DNA from the desired organism. With luck, this cell will begin to divide until it becomes an embryo and can be implanted into a host mother (US Dept of Energy Genome Program, 2009). Gene Therapy and Stem Cell Research Therapeutic cloning is by far the most controversial. This type of cloning produces human embryos for use in research, and usually for the stem cells that can be harvested from these embryos. Stem cells can be used to clone organs and body parts from the...
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...BIO 1 Paper Stem Cells Research WHAT ARE STEM CELLS? * Stem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide through mitosis and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types or can self renew to produce more stem cells. * In mammals, there are two broad types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells that are isolated from the inner cell mass of blastocysts, and adult stem cells that are found in various tissues. * In adult organisms, stem cells and progenitor cells act as a repair system for the body, replenished in adult tissues. In a developing embryo, stem cells can differentiate into all the specialized cells, but also maintain the normal turnover of regenerative organs, such as blood, skin, or intestinal tissues. Properties The classical definition of a stem cell requires the following properties: * Self-renewal - the ability to go through numerous cycles of cell division while maintaining the undifferentiated state. * Potency - the capacity to differentiate into specialized cell types. In the strictest sense, this requires stem cells to be either totipotent or pluripotent - to be able to give rise to any mature cell type, although multipotent or unipotent progenitor cells are sometimes referred to as stem cells. In Self-Renewal.. Two mechanisms exist to ensure that the stem cell population is maintained: * Obligatory asymmetric replication - a stem cell divides into one father cell that is identical...
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...highly specialized medical doctors, along with; biologists and bioengineers, electronics, chemists and chemical engineers, physicists, and mechanical engineers all working together in an orchestrated choreographed process around the globe. Novelties in nanotechnology, sustained living tissue reproduction, bio-hybrid organ devices and microfluidics platforms have evolved from a concept of fantasy to a revolutionized reality. Available technology has migrated into the medical world, allowing scientists to develop several human organs utilizing microfluidics platform technology. Harvard University has developed a highly refined lung on-a-chip that embodies numerous forms of tissues. “We started with the simplest embodiment of human airway and capillary cells, and then introduced immune cells” (Ingber, 2010, p. 661). The chip consists of micro-channels parted by a malleable micrometer tissue. A single conduit encompasses air sacks lining like human lungs, and the other channel conveys capillaries, and to emulate blood flow, it has liquids flowing. The chip highlights the cells’ behavior and fluctuations when they are stretched. The size of the chip is made of human lung and vessel cells, acts much like a lung in a human body, and it is similar to the size of a pencil eraser. Due to it being transparent, it provides an understanding to how a lung works inside a human body. This mechanism can become a valuable contraption to study the effects of toxins and efficacy of new drugs. “We are...
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...STEM CELL RESEARCH AND THERAPYAND ITS IMPACTS ON SOCIETY Abstract There are several types of stem cells being used in stem cell research and therapy today. They are embryonic, adult and induced pluripotent stem cells. Each will be discussed further. This topic has stirred much moral, ethical and political debate as whether cells from fetuses should be used in this research. This impacts governmental policies on laws and funding. Another issue that must be analyzed is the economics and who should have access to this treatment. The views of people and government on this research differ greatly across the world. There are countries that have very strict laws restricting this research while others take an extremely liberal stance. Stem Cell Research and Therapy and Its Impacts on Society Introduction Stem cells are the basic unit of life that gives rise to all living things. They are the undifferentiated cells that transform into the specialized cells that make up all of the tissues in organisms. With further research and understating, these cells can be used in medicine to cure a wide range of diseases. The most important type of stem cell to humans is the pluripotent stem cell which is usually obtained from human embryos. This has sparked controversy in many aspects of human life. In this paper, we will concentrate on animal and human stem cell research, and its impact on society. A Brief Description Of The Technology And An Explanation Of The Associated...
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...STEM CELL RESEARCH AND THERAPYAND ITS IMPACTS ON SOCIETY Abstract There are several types of stem cells being used in stem cell research and therapy today. They are embryonic, adult and induced pluripotent stem cells. Each will be discussed further. This topic has stirred much moral, ethical and political debate as whether cells from fetuses should be used in this research. This impacts governmental policies on laws and funding. Another issue that must be analyzed is the economics and who should have access to this treatment. The views of people and government on this research differ greatly across the world. There are countries that have very strict laws restricting this research while others take an extremely liberal stance. Stem Cell Research and Therapy and Its Impacts on Society Introduction Stem cells are the basic unit of life that gives rise to all living things. They are the undifferentiated cells that transform into the specialized cells that make up all of the tissues in organisms. With further research and understating, these cells can be used in medicine to cure a wide range of diseases. The most important type of stem cell to humans is the pluripotent stem cell which is usually obtained from human embryos. This has sparked controversy in many aspects of human life. In this paper, we will concentrate on animal and human stem cell research, and its impact on society. A Brief Description Of The Technology And An Explanation Of The Associated...
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...Sullivan Bio-Medical Ethics 24 April 2015 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...
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...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...
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...com/locate/jopr Review Article Nanotechnology for tissue engineering: Need, techniques and applications J. Danie Kingsley, Shivendu Ranjan*, Nandita Dasgupta, Proud Saha School of Bioscience and Technology, VIT University, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India article info abstract Article history: Tissue engineering is very fast growing scientific area in this era which is used to create, Received 1 December 2012 repair, and/or replace cells, tissues and organs by using cell and/or combinations of cells Accepted 27 February 2013 with biomaterials and/or biologically active molecules and it helps to produce materials Available online xxx which very much resembles to body’s native tissue/tissues. From tissue engineering current therapies got revolutionised and life quality of several millions patient got Keywords: improved. Tissue engineering is the connecting discipline between engineering materials Bio-scaffold science, medicine and biology. In typical tissue engineering cells are seeded...
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...Interestingly, printing of meat for human consumption as an alternative to harvesting meat from animals is currently being researched. In 2008 PeTA offered a $1 million X-Prize style reward for the first group to synthetically develop such commercially viable meat. This is one case in which proposing ethical dilemmas exist, and the many alternative controversies this topic entails. Further bioethical dilemma’s and considerations exist and will be discussed in detail. Technology To fully understand any ethical dilemmas encapsulating this technology, a considerate knowledge of 3-dimmensional printing is required. First, we will look into the general technology of designing, preparing and yielding products. Only then, applications of bio-printing, and the corresponding controversies and ethical dilemmas can further be discussed....
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...INTRODUCTION Stem cells have the unique ability to differentiate into any cell in the body, which has made them a central focus for regenerative cell therapy for a vast number of human diseases ranging from cardiovascular to neurodegenerative disorders. A major example for the use of stem cell therapy is Parkinson’s disease (PD). Pharmacological treatments for PD have been developed; however, neuronal degeneration prevents these drugs from working for extended periods of time. Stem cell therapy does have the potential for providing a permanent treatment for this disorder. In order for stem cell therapy to be effective and safe, the stem cells must be at a certain differentiation state, which is currently defined by a combination of surface markers, prior to implantation. One major obstacle preventing translation of stem cell therapy into a clinical setting is the inability to determine and isolate stem cells at particular differentiation states. In the case of PD, the optimal stem cell for transplantation would be a dopaminergic neuroblast which is differentiated enough to allow neural integration thereby reversing disease progression. Additionally, optimal differentiation will prevent tumor formation resulting from an overly immature stem cell (Wernig et al, 2008). Thus, there is an urgent need to identify and track the differentiation state of cells in order to realize therapeutic potential. Our long term goal is to identify and purify appropriately differentiated stem cells for use...
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...PART A: The Principal of family determination in organ donation ABSTRACT: This article is written by Mingxu wang,, Wen zang, Xueliang Wang. In this article the point which is stressed upon is that wether family should be given the right to give consent for organ donation of a person if he himself has not stated any statement regarding his will on organ donation. Many ethical views of different societies are discussed, especially the Chinese including the Confucians. Some cases are also explained at the end in which the families of the dead are taking decision about the organ donations. Other problems relating to this matter are also highlighted. There are many school of thoughts based on different religions and different societies. In this article the Chinese, Confucians and Mencius are discussed in detail. The Chinese place their families at a very high position. They give a lot of importance and thus during the process of deciding wether to donate the organs or not, the family is given the highest authority. Confucians however not in favour of the process of organ transplantation. Their point of view is different. They like to keep their moral values. According to them the parts of an individual are gifts from their parents and they should not be messed with.They should be left as such. My opinion, after reading this article, is that after a person dies and he has not stated that wether he would not like to donate the organs then the decision...
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...What is the history of stem call research legislation in the US? How does it compare to the rest of the world? The argument for life is often one that results in two circumstances – either life will go on or life will not. Millions of families are afflicted with diseases and disorders that they would do anything in any lifetime for cures to spare their loved ones. Stem cells through argument of science can cure diseases or help heal individuals who suffer from debilitating conditions such as spinal cord injuries, strokes, heart conditions, and burns to name a few. (Reaves, 2001) The argument for stem cell research proves to be one of both moral hazard and religious conviction. (G.Fischbach, 2004) On the moral side, the idea to use terminated pregnancies in order for gain or just their cells is unfathomable. The religious conviction is that individuals who terminated their pregnancies because of the assumed small value they placed on human life only made these cells available. However, these cells before they form human life are cells that have not generated into existing diseases or degenerative conditions. (NIH, 2009) Stem Cell research can be looked at in many ways, but it personally should be viewed a progression to better lives ruined by diseases and catastrophe, not regression and immoral in the eyes of deities and those superior. In the U.S. states funding for stem cell research was prominent in early part of the 21st century by both members...
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...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...
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