The Ethics of Stem Cell Research Essay - 4393 Words

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), stem cells are 1 Cells with the ability to divide for indefinite periods in culture and to give rise to specialized cells. Stem cells are basically unspecialized cells that can, with proper physiologic or experimental conditions, become specialized cells. Specialized cells are usually called differentiated cells. These differentiated cells can then be used to repair damaged cells and eventually cure many diseases and disorders in humans. This could revolutionize the way society treats health issues. Instead of trying to destroy and sure a disease or disorder, doctors could simply grow new cells that would be able to repair or replace the damaged cells and tissue. Adult Stem†¦show more content†¦Recently, however, there has been some evidence that indicates that adult stem cells may be able to develop into more than one type of specialized cell, but nothing is entirely conclusive. Because of these problems, adult stem cells are difficult to use for extensive research. Embryonic Stem Cells Embryonic stem cell research is the more controversial of the two major types of stem cells. These types of stem cells are taken from embryos that were produced through in vitro fertilization. Most embryos used for stem cell research are taken from those donated after in vitro fertilization. Once the embryo that is to inserted back into the woman?s body is chosen, scientists use the left over embryos to extract stem cells. After about four or five days after fertilization, the egg becomes a group of cells called a blastocyst. The inner cell mass of the blastocyst contains about thirty cells that can be extracted. Once extracted, the cells are put into a culture dish which contains a nutrient broth or culture medium. The culture dish has been coated with mouse skin cells in the past. This gives the stem cells something to attach to. Recently, researchers have been able to grow stem cells without the use of the mouse cells. This eliminates the risk of any contamination that the mouse c ells may have caused. In this dish, the cells divide and grow in number. As the cells grow and begin to crowd the original plate, they are carefully removed and placed intoShow MoreRelatedStem Cell Research in Ethics999 Words   |  4 PagesStem Cell Research in Ethics We are entering a brave new world where one can grow a heart in a petri plate then go on to surgically putting it into a real living boy who desperately needs it. This sounds like a tale of fiction. However now, scientists are currently working to produce such organs that save lives and obviate the usual failure and feared rejection by the recipient’s body. Stem cell research has traditionally been perceived to be horrific when it destroys a living embryo itselfRead MoreThe Ethics Of Stem Cell Research1557 Words   |  7 Pagesthese outstanding medical advances a self-renewing stem cell that regenerates and gives rise to all cells and tissues of the body was discovered. The controversy of such finding of abilities of stem cell is that they can only be extracted from the human embryo. In order to extort stem cells from the embryo it needs to be aborted. The extraction needs to be done just days after conception or between the fifth and the ninth week. Though stem cell rese arch has astonishing potential to save many lives dueRead MoreThe Ethics Of Stem Cell Research1365 Words   |  6 PagesStem cells are cells that have the potential to develop into different types of cells in the body. Stem cells also act as a repair system for many tissues in the body by dividing repeatedly to replenish other cells within a person (National Institutes of Health). Stem cell research seeks to further the advancement of the use of stem cells as well as to find an ethical way to study them. In November 1998, researchers found a way to isolate and culture human embryonic stem cells, (Bevington 2005).Read MoreThe Ethics Of Stem Cell Research1643 Words   |  7 PagesMichael Thomas Philosophy 3520 Bioethics The Ethics of Stem Cell Research Science fiction has tried to encapsulate social responses that could arise with the development of genetically altered or â€Å"enhanced† human beings. Regenerative medicine, genetic cloning and life extension are all terms that sound like they came out of a fantastic film or novel, though they are in fact subjects of great research and heated debates. Embryonic stem cells are arguably the quintessential building block ofRead MoreThe Ethics Of Stem Cell Research Essay1994 Words   |  8 Pagesscience, stem cells have, and are still, been the subject of multiple court cases, some of which conclude with the defendant s case winning. For example in the Moore v. Regents of University of California et al, the plaintiff accused the Regents of University of California, specifically Dr. Golde, of using his cells for lucrative medical research without his permission (Moore v. The Regents of The University of California et al., 1990). This case doesn’t specifically address st em cells, but it openedRead MoreThe Ethics Of Stem Cell Research2651 Words   |  11 PagesThe Ethics of Stem Cell Research: How the Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Changed Them Few areas in science are surrounded by as much controversy as the area of stem cell research. Some scientists and doctors see it as a way to return their patients to wellness, while others claim it’s taking a life. Recent break-throughs in science and medicine may yield a safer alternative to the use of stem cells from embryos. Embryonic stem cell research should not be allowed, because it is unethical to takeRead More The Ethics of Stem Cell Research Essay1005 Words   |  5 Pages While some people might say that stem cell research is immoral and unethical, others believe that it is a magical solution for almost any problem, thus leading to a very controversial issue. Scientists have been searching for years for ways to eradicate incurable diseases and perform other medical procedures that yesterdays technology would not fix. With the rapidly arising, positive research on stem cell technology, the potential that exists to restore any deficiency is in the same way, like lyRead MoreThe Ethics of Stem Cell Research Essay741 Words   |  3 Pages Embryonic stem cell research can be easily defined. A stem is defined as something that is developed from. A cell is defined as a microscopic living organism. According to Dennis Hollinger, Embryonic stem cell research uses from the embryos inner cell mass that give rise to each of the human bodys many different tissue types(1). In our modern day society, stem cell research has become a controversial topic. Several people strongly oppose the idea of the research, but many are struggling forRead MoreThe Ethics And Morality Of Stem Cell Research1990 Words   |  8 Pages The Ethics and Morality Of Stem Cell Research When does life begin? Does it occur at the time of fertilization? Does it begin at 12 weeks? 6? Or is there some other test determining whether or not a life begins and along with it the rights, that reside to man. The natural rights that belong to every human being, most importantly of which, the right to life. This is the discussion and debate that have been in the forefront of controversial issues for the past 40 years. In most cases the topicRead MoreThe Ethics Of Embryonic Stem Cell Research1520 Words   |  7 PagesGulyas American Government 16 December 2014 The Ethics of Embryonic Stem Cell Research In the 21st century, disease is rampant and for most diseases, we have no cure because we haven t researched them long enough to find a specialized cure. One option that we have is human embryonic stem cell (HESC) research. HESC research consists of using human embryonic stem cells, which are very flexible and adaptive to create the necessary cells to develop future cell-based therapies for currently untreatable diseases