Stem Cell Research
Stem cell research is a research that takes basic human cells and develops them into majority of any of the 220 varieties of cells in the human body, including blood and brain cells.
Scientists have great hope for this research and its ability to uncover treatments. They have also declared there is a possibility that stem cell research can lead to cures some of the effective diseases in the world (TLCMobility, 2010). There are also many negatives that come with this ‘life saving’ gene technology though, with different moral and ethical implications.
Having the capacity to develop into specialized cells that make up a variety of organs and tissues, stem cells can transform into any cell in the human body making them potentially a cure for different types of diseases and injuries. There are two types of stem cells: those found in certain adult tissues and those found in the cells of three to five day old embryos. Found in the brain, bone marrow, muscle, skin, blood and liver tissue, Adult stem cells can change into a certain number of cell types. Though, the stem cells found in embryos can change into any cell in the human body. Stem cells are also a lot easier to grow in laboratories than adult stem cells and can potentially keep diving forever (something the adult stem cells can’t). The first successful stem cell research, which is still used to this day, is the bone marrow transplant. This transplants stem cells from a donor’s bone marrow and regenerates healthy bone marrow in a patient of Leukaemia and/or other types of blood diseases. Embryonic stem cells offer something different, with potential treatments and cures for conditions such as spinal cord injuries, juvenile diabetes, blindness and other types of diseases. Scientists also believe that this research may even be the results of types of cancers (TLCMobility, 2010).
There are many implications of using stem cell research. One of the biggest implications is the rise of...