Stem Cells Research

Introduction

Stem cells have a unique capacity of differentiation and self-renewal. Stems cells are probably present in multiple tissues; however, they were first discovered in the hematopoietic system. There is change in the individual care with orthopedic, ophthalmologic, dermatologic, oncologic, and hematologic conditions. The growing function of stem cells in clinical medication is progressing. Therapy through stem cells either to adjust the manners of other cells or to restore cell lines that have been destroyed or lost, drug therapy targeting stem cells and the stem cells to produce separated tissue for in-vitro studies of disease models for drug enhancement. Stem cell transplantation may have the ability to modify diseased tissue in a paracrine fashion, without actual engraftment. Drugs directed at endogenous tissue stem cells may modify tissue response to injury. The stem cells may generate tissue to be used as laboratory models for the study of diseases where obtaining live tissue is otherwise difficult or not possible. Ethical concerns have been raised regarding stem cell research. This essay will study the different aspects of the stem cell research and will answer the question that should the U.S. government support stem cell research, in either way.

Stem Cell Research Issue in US

Stem-cell research progressed during the decade amid continued controversy in regard to the ethics of utilizing and possibly destroying human embryos. The topic was entwined with the antiabortion/prolife movement and various religious groups. Medical researchers repeatedly defended their work in arenas totally outside of the laboratory. Embryonic stem cells have two properties that make them valuable: the ability to become any specialized cell and the ability to reproduce them. Adult stem cells avoid the ethical questions that the use of embryos causes, but they lack the ability to differentiate into specialized cells of a different type. If it was possible to turn adult stem cells into pluri-potential (able to transform into different types) cells, it would have provided the benefits of embryonic stem cells without raising ethical problems. In 2001, Advanced Cell Technology transferred adult DNA into human eggs, hoping to produce stem cells (McMahon & Thorsteinsdottir). The experiment failed, and the embryos died; the effort, however, raised the specter of human cloning.

The social problem that has been chosen for discussion is stem cell treatment for embryos and child development. It has been a controversial topic in US for many years. Stem cells can be extracted from a dividing zygote or an adult tissue. These cells are then placed in a controlled culture, which though allows them to divide and replicate, but prevents them from specializing or differentiating. The replicating stems cells are then inspected, and the collection of dividing, undifferentiated and healthy stem cells is termed as Stem Cell Line. These stem cell lines are managed and shared with other researchers. These stem cells can then be stimulated to differentiate as directed by the researcher (Sullivan).

The ongoing research for disease altering drugs and the “disease in a dish” approach require the use of controls and cells, which genetically ...