Luis Camacho

Stem Cell Essay

Stem cells are cells that can develop into any other different type of cells in the body.

Stem cells are able to replicate many times and renew themselves for long periods of times.

There are two types of stem cells embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem

cells are stem cells that are found in embryos or an unborn baby. Adult stem cells are the same as

embryonic stem cells but the difference is that they are found in adults or children instead of

embryos. Stem cells are in embryos and adults because they are the when the baby is developing

and in adults to replace damaged cells.

Scientist believe that stem cells can used to cure cancer or repair brain damage and other

things that seem to be impossible to repair or cure right now. How stem cells People are against

letting scientist use stem cells because taking the stem cells will cause the embryo to die and

people that killing an undeveloped baby is wrong. Others want to obtain stem cells because of

the progress that stem cells could bring to science. The possibilities that stem cells could be used

on the medical side of things for example what I stated before they can be used to cure cancer or

repair brain damage but these are only possibilities that stem cells could be used for not

guarantees.

The debate about using stem cells I believe is still continuing. As I mentioned before the

debate is mainly about whether it is right to destroy human embryos for curing diseases and

saving a countless number of lives. Some of the questions that were raised because of stem cell

research are whether human embryos have rights, if there lives are equivalent to a human child's

and when does life begin? There are many other questions that were brought up because of stem
Luis Camacho

cell research. There have been alternatives found to human embryonic stem cells (hES) and these

alternatives are bringing an end to this debate.

A breakthrough that scientist found in 2006 is that they learned to stimulate someone's

own cells to operate like embryonic stem cells. This breakthrough is opening a path for new

possibilities for stem cell research and it is also reducing the use of human embryonic stem cells

(hES). Currently there will still be a need for human embryos because of the much needed

research on them. There is also talk about iPS cells or induced pluripotent stem cells and hES

cells. It is about how iPS cells are not exactly the same as hES cells and that hES cells are the

gold standard against which the stem cells of other cells are measured. Some experts want to

continue the research on stem cell types because it is unsure on which will be most useful on cell

replacement therapies.

Another ethical debate talks about iPS cells because of the potential they have to develop

into a human embryo. This was brought up because it will turn possibly have a chance create a

clone of benefactor. Nations around the world have prepared for a situation like this and have

legislation active that bans human cloning. Also if iPS cells turn out to be an alternative to

embryonic stem cell research they will avoid the most significant concerns around the argument.

One reason it will avoid the arguments is that iPS cells do not need eggs. Because iPS cells do

not need eggs that means there is no unequal burden to the women that supply the crucial cells

for the technology. Furthermore the use of iPS cells as an alternative will not only likely exclude

the health risk of the contributor it may also remove the risk of a fitting payment.
Luis Camacho

National Institute of Health. Health and Human Services. Stem Cell Informantion

https://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/1.htm. Author.

California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. The Power of Stem Cells.

https://www.cirm.ca.gov/patients/power-stem-cells. Author.

Genetic Science Learning Center. The Stem Cell Debate: Is it Over

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/stemcells/scissues/. Author.

BrindAmour K. (2009)The Embryo project Encyclopedia. Arizona: Arizona State University.

https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/ethics-and-induced-pluripotent-stem-cells

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