The Science of Stem Cells: More Then Just a Debate

The Science of Stem Cells: More Then Just A Debate

When people think of stem cell research they very commonly only think of the controversy surrounding the subject. People fail to remember that stem cell research is more then just a debate, it is something in which can potentially save lives. People also misunderstand what stem cells truly are and how they can help. Stem cells are defined as unspecialized cells found in fetuses. Embryos, and some adult body tissues that have the potential to divide into other specialized cells or other stem cells ( "stem cell basics'). Although it is unknown to most, there is more then one type of stem cell- adult and embryonic. Adult stem cells are studied more often because of the fact that they are easier to gather, there is less tension surrounding the subject of adult stem cell research as oppose to the controversy surrounding embryonic. Embryonic stem cells are also different from those of adult stem cells due to the way in which they are obtained and also have a different potential for cell based regenerative therapies. Embryonic stem cell research tends to be a very controversial subject due to the fact that many people have both ethical and religious oppositions to it. Despite it's controversy, stem cell research is incredibly necessary in today's medical field, for it has the potential to save thousands of lives. Stem cell research is imperative because stem cells have the ability to both cure and treat deadly diseases, it has the ability to shed a sense of hope and light on paralyzed victims, and is also positive because it allows something positive to come from aborted fetuses and embryos.

One reason why stem cell research should be supported is because of the amazing potential that it obtains. The potential outcome of stem cell research creates the ability to cure many deadly diseases such as some cancers, Parkinson's disease, heart problems, spinal cord injuries as well as many other devastating conditions. This being what would be a considered a modern day "miracle" by many. For it had never previously been thought that doctors and scientists may one day hold the cure to things such as cancer. While adult stem cells are more accessible at the moment, embryonic stem cells have a greater potential and ability to cure more diseases(Reeve 6). Studies continue to go on throughout the United States and the rest of the world where scientists and researchers are attempting to further prove how amazing the capabilities of stem cells truly are. One of these studies regarding research is done at the Advanced Cell Technology, where the growth of embryonic stem cells also referred to as hemangioblasts, is studied. The researchers at the center grew cells which developed into blood forming tissues and blood vessels. The scientists used rats as their test subjects, and research shows that the rats with injuries impairing blood flow showed a higher chance of surviving heart injuries when being injected with hemangioblasts (Kaske 26). This is just one of many studies which shows us just how truly wonderful stem cells have the potential to be, only if given the proper research so more accomplishments of this nature are able to be met (Charen 24). There have also been many other studies where animals that were injected with embryonic stem cells in particular parts of their bodies that were hurt, research goes on to show that these animals were twice as likely to heal than the animals that weren't.

People of spinal cord injuries can also greatly benefit from the potential effects of stem cell research. People who were born paralyzed or who have become so due to an unfortunate accident, have the opportunity to greatly prosper. Research shows that the use of stem cells in spinal cord victims can possibly enable them to have partial if not full use of their limbs. This gives such people a sense of hope in which everyone could use if in that kind of situation. In a recent study, scientists used fetal neuron stem cells, which are slightly more developed then embryonic due to the fact that they are destined to make cells in the central nervous system. In the study, researchers damaged the spinal cords of mice and injected them with the stem cells nine days later. Four months later the mice that were injected with the stem cells were able to walk on their back legs while the mice that received no treatment showed no signs of improvement (Cuomo 2). This study is yet another example which shows how truly beneficial the use of stem cells can be. Stem cell research enables scientists to have the power to save peoples' lives, which is amazing in itself. While stem cell research has its flaws, it is not the current scientific findings that are exciting, for it is the potential that stem cells have that makes the research both necessary and exciting.

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