Stem Cell Research

By Huston Collins

12/7/09

Stem cells are remarkable, specialized cells, that are formed at the very beginning stages of

human embryo development. They are part of what is known as a blastocyst (a structure that contains

an inner cells mass called an embryoblast). It also possesses an outer layer of cells known as a

trophoblast (which forms the placenta). These cells are special because at their current stage, they are

unspecialized and have the potential to develop into 130 different human tissue types.

Currently stem cells have been used to find cures for several diseases; however, stem cells have

the potential to cure so many more. Stem cells offer the possibility of an unlimited amount of

renewable cells to treat a plethora of diseases, disabilities, and conditions. The possibilities are

seemingly endless, with the potential treatments for many human ailments including: diabetes,

Alzheimer's, arthritis, burns, heart disease, stroke, and even nerve damage such as damage of the

spinal cord.

Stem cells have four different potentials including unipotent (only produce one cell type),

pluripotent (form cells from the three germ layers, and formed from divisions of totipotent cells),

multipotent (only produce closely related cells), and totipotent( become embryonic or extraembryonic

cells, and formed by the first divisions of a fertilized egg). Stem cells can be further categorized by:

Embryonic, umbilical, fetal, and adult stem cells. Each of these types are named after their location in

the human body. Currently scientists can successfully use and extract embryonic cells and have the

ability to use umbilical and embryonic cells, but adult and fetal stem cells are less useful. This can be

changed with more research.

Currently the only way to obtain stem cells is by taking them from the tissue from destroyed

pregnancies, or embryos produced by in-vitro fertilization clinics. After these stem cells have been
removed and isolated, they can be saved for use in the future. Each of these group of cells, extracted

from a single embryo, are known as cell lines. Ideally we would be able to clone embryos specifically

for their stem cells.

There is a very large controversy over stem cell research between scientists and the religious

community. The religious community rejects stem cell research on the same grounds as abortion.

They believe that removing an embryo is the same as murdering an unborn child. However, as stated

above, scientists can mainly use embryonic stem cells for study, but umbilical stem cells are also used.

This method extracts stem cells from the umbilical cord after birth. This essentially rebuts the entire

argument of religious society. If stem cell research is allowed to continued, then it is possible that

scientists will not need to extract embryos.

On August 9, 2001 the Bush administration limited federal research funding involving

embryonic stem cells. On Wednesday March 11, 2009 the Obama administration revoked that order. I

quote from his order “Research involving human embryonic stem cells and human

non-embryonic stem cells has the potential to lead to better understanding and treatment of many

disabling diseases and conditions. Advances over the past decade in this promising scientific field have

been encouraging, leading to broad agreement in the scientific community that the research

should be supported by Federal funds.” I believe this to be the best decision, because it is true, and in

the best interest of the people.

In recent

news, as of December 2, 2009, 13 embryonic stem cell lines have been cleared for use by the National

Institutes of Health. Eleven of these lines were developed by Children's Hospital in Boston, and the

remaining two were from Rockefeller University in New York. Research using these embryonic stem

cells is already producing invaluable information about human development, and it is projected that

cells differentiated from human stem cells will be used to treat a “myriad” of diseases. The future

outlook for stem cells is rather hopeful. With breakthroughs occurring all the time, we will soon have a
much better understanding of humans and how to treat our otherwise untreatable conditions.

Bibliography

• http://www.nih.gov/news/health/dec2009/od-02.htm

• http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-5441.pdf

• http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp

• http://www.biotech.ucdavis.edu/TBCWebsites/TBC07/StemCells&TissueEngineering/Li-

MiraLoma/Biotech

%http://www.cavemancircus.com/galleries2/2009/10/tricia_helfer/index.php20Website

%20Design/index.html

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blastocyst

• http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/S/Stem_Cells.html