The discovery, isolation, and culturing of human embryonic stem cells has been regarded as one of the most significant events of the century. A lot of resources have been placed in the researches of stem cells because of its potential for curing diseases and improving people’s lives. 1 However, there has been a great concern about whether research into the use of stem cells should be conducted. Some people claim that the research into the use of stem cells should continue because of its potential for curing many diseases. Others maintain that those researches should be banned as they are unethical. It is common that people from different backgrounds would have different opinions as to whether research into the use of stem cells should be conducted. In my opinion, research into the use of stem cells should definitely be conducted.
Firstly, to begin with, one of the arguments supporting the stem cell researches is that those researches have a great potential for curing many incurable and chronic diseases. 2 That is true. For example, it has the potential for curing diabetes. Since stem cells have the ability to differentiate into different types of cells in the body, under the right conditions, embryonic stem cells can be induced to form insulin secreting cells. 3 These insulin secreting cells have been purposed to add to the pancreas of patients with diabetes and help to produce insulin. 4 In this way, there is no need for patients with diabetes to take drugs or inject insulin regularly and diabetes can be cured. Moreover, embryonic stem cells can be used to improve motor ability in patients with spinal cord injuries. 5 Nerve cells can’t divide and repair and hence, any damages to the nerve cells in spinal cord will result in permanent loss of motor ability. Since stem cells have the ability to differentiate into nerve cells, the induced nerve cells can be added and replace the damaged nerve cells in spinal cord and help to improve the motor ability. 6...