“Stem Cell Research” Cathy Sheppard

I am currently doing a research paper on stem cell research for english class and I chose this topic because I have a friend that is very ill from emphysema.  So in hopes for some miracle cure I feel I may be more confused.  I have gotten my information from a many sources and I will list a few to start:  “The Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate - Science, Ethics, and Public Policy” Holland, Lebacqz, and Zoloth, “Stem Cell Research - Medical Applications and Ethical Controversy” Panno, and “The Library of Future Medicin - Stem Cell Research” Viegas.  I am gonna try and sum them all up to keep this short.

There are three types of stems cells to choose from.  Embryonic Stem Cells which are the first type and  and are developed in the first five, some say up to fourteen, days of fertilization of the egg by the sperm.  At this point I understand this development is just the development of the cells and that the only part, of what I will call the baby, that is started is the placenta and umbilical cord.  At this point in time there are 100-200 stem cells that have the ability to be taught what they are needed to do or repair to save someone’s life.  Everything that can be benefited from these Embryonic Stem Cells has the best outcome.  The main ethical controversy is that some people believe that a baby is here from the moment of conception.  And that is what I always believed until I started this research.  People feel that if these cells are going to form a baby then these cells have human rights.  But if it doesn’t look like a human, e.g. head, body, arms, and legs is it a human?

The second type of stem cells are Embryonic Germ Cells and these come from what I call the baby (they call fetus).  A later developmental stage than Embryonic Stem Cells and obtained during the fifth to tenth week after conception.  Now at this point anyone who has been pregnant or fathered a child knows even though it is small there is a tiny little, little looking like a baby thing inside there.  Now when either of these stem cells are collected the potential for a baby is now destroyed.  But is there a difference between cells dividing and the embryo looking like a small version of a baby?  I didn’t think so before but now I do.  And any benefit that comes from this type of stem cell can be benefitted in the Embryonic Stem Cell.  So the development doesn’t need to go this far to get stems cells that can be achieved in Invitro (cells produced in a petri dish) Fertilization and collected early on.  However, if women are having abortions these stem cells are going to waste so why not benefit from them?  I don’t want that to sound harsh but if the USA allows abortions why haven’t we allowed stem cell research any earlier?  

The third type of stem cells are the Adult Stem Cells.  Now these are found in every human but are few and are harder to find.  They also are adult cells so they aren’t easily trained to do what they may be needed to do.  Such as repair heart muscle and brain tissue,cure for cancer, or Parkinson’s Disease.  Now we have some of these cells that repair on their own, our skin.  When we get a cut our skin cells reproduce and make new skin.  Well that is what scientists are researching for but on a larger scale, saving peoples lives.   

Scientists say these stem cells have amazing powers and can possibly save people from suffering, cure diseases, rehabilitate people after life altering accidents, cure blood diseases, and help people live longer.  There was a case back in the 1990’s where a little girl had a deadly bone marrow disease and was going to die.  So scientists genetically created a baby, her brother was born, he was the donor match they planned and he saved his sister’s life.  Some people say that is wrong and others agree it is a miracle.  There is a lot more to this research than I can fit in this Blog but it is a possible way of our future.  So if you don’t know much about it I believe it is time to start reading up because this will be and is a big debate right now.  It might be a good idea to see which side of the fence you are on with this issue because if against it, for it, or never cared it may hit close to home one day.  Wouldn’t you want to benefit from it?

This entry was posted on 17. June 2009 at 09:20 and is filed under Introduction to Sociology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.