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Stem Cell Research(con viewpoint). Statement The purpose of this paper is to
investigate stem cell research. ... "the cons of stem cell research." 27 Feb 2003. ...
Stem Cell Research. Stem Cell Research Jonique Johnson Stem Cell Research Stem Cell
Research has been the topic of many debates in recent years. ...
Stem Cell Research. ... Because embryonic stem cell research requires the
destruction of a human embryo, many people disapprove of it. ...
stem cell research. Stem cell research is one of the greatest debate topics
of the 21st century. ... How far can stem cell research take us? ...
The Patent Problems of Stem Cell Research. The Patent Problems of Stem Cell Research
Stem cell research continues to face more hurdles in the United States. ...
Submitted by Hazium420 on April 26, 2006
Category: Science
Words: 1423 | Pages: 6
Views: 166
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In the face of extraordinary advances in disease prevention and treatment devastating illnesses such as cancer, Parkinson's disease and neuromuscular dysfunction continue to deprive people of health, independence, and well-being. Stem cell research offers hope of a cure for millions in an age of hopelessness. While scientists are still miles away from finding actual cures each day they inch their way closer towards cures.
To fully understand the potential of stem cells, it is important to view them in the context of human development. At the time of fertilization, when the sperm and egg join, the cells produced are capable of forming an entire organism. These cells are classified as totipotent, which means that the potential of the cells is unlimited. At this point these cells can still develop into any type of specialized cell. Specialization starts almost immediately, as the multiplying cells form a ball called a blastocyst. Inside the blastocyst are "pluripotent" or "embryonic" stem cells that can form just about every cell type except those of the placenta.
There are two ways in which scientists harvest embryonic stem cells. One uses
in vitro fertilization in which an egg is fertilized by a sperm in a laboratory and allowed to grow until it forms a blastocyst and then the cells can be harvested. These are the totipotent cells with an infinite possibility. This process is called embryonic stem cell research. The cells taken from this process can hopefully be coaxed by scientist to form any cell in the human body. Scientists also can harvest stem cells from aborted fetuses. This process is much like embryonic stem cell research except in this process scientists can utilize many more stem cells and more fully perform their research.
Embryonic stem cells are important to scientists because of three characteristics. First they can replicate indefinitely without undergoing aging, death or mutation. Second...
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