Stem Cell Research The Political Front Essay - 1814 Words

Stem cells have the capability of forming any body tissue or even an entire organism, they are â€Å"master cells that can grow into virtually any sort of cell in the human body† (Edwards, Wattenberg Lineberry, 2009, p. 605). Stem cells are also repair cells, they work to maintain and regenerate cells in organs and tissues that are lost through damage, disease or normal wear and tear. Stem cell research began in the 1950s when researchers â€Å"discovered that the bone marrow contains at least two kinds of stem cells† (The National Institutes of Health [NIH], 2010). â€Å"In the 1960s, scientists who were studying rats discovered two regions of the brain that contained dividing cells that ultimately become nerve cells.† (NIH, 2010). This discovery was†¦show more content†¦232). The reason why researchers are so interested in embryonic stem cells is that unlike adult stem cells, these cells have not yet specialized so they have the potential to develop into any type of cell. Embryonic stem cells can be â€Å"programmed† to grow cells specific to organs or tissues such as skin, brain, the heart or kidneys. This capability makes embryonic stem cells very attractive for use in developing cures for certain diseases and conditions if researchers can reprogram them to generate healthy cells to replace defective ones in failing organs or tiss ues. Potential applications of therapies and treatment developed from embryonic stem cells include treatment or diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Adult stem cells have been used in trials to treat diseases with limited success and it is still being researched and developed for potential mainstream use if successful applications are discovered. Adult stem cells are difficult to extract, already specialized, multiply slower and difficult to work with, this difficulty has pushed most researchers to study embryonic stem cells and as a result most research done so far has been on embryonic stem cells derived from donated embryos. In the process of obtaining stem cells, the embryo is destroyed and this procedure can be seen as destroying a human life if one believes that life begins at conception. This method of obtaining stem cells has generated muchShow MoreRelatedStem Cell Paper . Framework. No Medical Advancement Has1788 Words   |  8 PagesSTEM CELL PAPER FRAMEWORK No medical advancement has ever been met with unanimous acceptance because it is in the nature of man to not only question the present but the future. Stem cell research currently presents itself as the nearest medical advancement in time of strong contentious social and political climate. The debates on the scientific, political, and ethical implications are intertwined in a discourse that practically leaves the United States at a standstill in amidst this scientific revolutionRead MoreStem Cell Research: The Final Cure Essay2028 Words   |  9 PagesStem Cell Research – The Final Cure What kind of research sparks a battle between religious-ethics, political, and scientific theories and beliefs? What makes you question right or wrong, moral or immoral, good or bad? The answer is stem cell research. So what is a stem cell? â€Å"Stem cells†¦ are in effect, a human self-repair kit.† (Christopher Reeve, activist Larry King, CNN) Stem cells are cells that exist in an undifferentiated state, and can transform into any of the 220 types of cells thatRead MoreThe Ethics Of Stem Cell Research1910 Words   |  8 Pagesfear the unknown, there are boundaries to everything in life. That you can not play god, because society frowns upon that. 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