This document is a student essay discussing stem cell research. It begins by introducing embryonic stem cells and their potential to cure diseases. It then describes the process of acquiring stem cells from embryos through in vitro fertilization. The essay outlines some of the key advantages of stem cell research, such as creating new organs and tissues. However, it also notes disadvantages like donor rejection and ethical issues regarding using embryos. Overall, the essay provides a high-level overview of stem cell science, potential medical applications, and ongoing controversies surrounding the field.
Ethical isssues related to research in embryonic stem cell cloning.Gowripriya Thirumugam
Â
Embryonic stem cell
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are stem cells derived from the undifferentiated inner mass cells of a human embryo.
Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, meaning they are able to grow (i.e. differentiate) into all derivatives of the three primary germ layers: ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm.
In other words, they can develop into each of the more than 200 cell types of the adult body as long as they are specified to do so.
Embryonic stem cells are distinguished by two distinctive properties: their pluripotency, and their ability to replicate indefinitely.
ES cells are pluripotent, that is, they are able to differentiate into all derivatives of the three primary germ layers: ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm.
These include each of the more than 220 cell types in the adult body.
Pluripotency distinguishes embryonic stem cells from adult stem cells found in adults; while embryonic stem cells can generate all cell types in the body, adult stem cells are multipotent and can produce only a limited number of cell types.
Additionally, under defined conditions, embryonic stem cells are capable of propagating themselves indefinitely.
This allows embryonic stem cells to be employed as useful tools for both research and regenerative medicine, because they can produce limitless numbers of themselves for continued research or clinical use.
Because of their plasticity and potentially unlimited capacity for self-renewal, ES cell therapies have been proposed for regenerative medicine and tissue replacement after injury or disease.
Diseases that could potentially be treated by pluripotent stem cells include a number of blood and immune-system related genetic diseases, cancers, and disorders; juvenile diabetes;
Parkinson's; blindness and spinal cord injuries.
Besides the ethical concerns of stem cell therapy, there is a technical problem of graft-versus-host disease associated with allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
However, these problems associated with histocompatibility may be solved using autologous donor adult stem cells, therapeutic cloning, stem cell banks or more recently by reprogramming of somatic cells with defined factors (e.g. induced pluripotent stem cells).
Other potential uses of embryonic stem cells include investigation of early human development, study of genetic disease and as in vitro systems for toxicology testing.
Introduction.
Properties of Stem Cells.
Key Research events.
Embryonic Stem Cell.
Stem cell Cultivation.
Stem cells are central to three processes in an organism.
Research & Clinical Application of stem cell.
Research patents.
Conclusion.
Reference.
The ISSCR is an independent, nonprofit organization providin.docxoreo10
Â
The ISSCR is an independent, nonprofit
organization providing a global forum for
stem cell research and regenerative medicine.
Stem Cell
Facts
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are the foundation cells for every organ and
tissue in our bodies. The highly specialized cells that make
up these tissues originally came from an initial pool of stem
cells formed shortly after fertilization. Throughout our lives,
we continue to rely on stem cells to replace injured tissues
and cells that are lost every day, such as those in our skin,
hair, blood and the lining of our gut. Stem cells have two
key properties: 1) the ability to self-renew, dividing in a
way that makes copies of themselves, and 2) the ability to
differentiate, giving rise to the mature types of cells that
make up our organs and tissues.
Tissue-specific stem cells
Tissue-specific stem cells, which are sometimes referred to
as âadultâ or âsomaticâ stem cells, are already somewhat
specialized and can produce some or all of the mature
cell types found within the particular tissue or organ in
which they reside. Because of their ability to generate
multiple, organ-specific, cell types, they are described as
âmultipotent.â For example, stem cells found within the
adult brain are capable of making neurons and two types of
glial cells, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.
Tissue-specific stem cells have been found in several organs
that need to continuously replenish themselves, such as the
blood, skin and gut and have even been found in other, less
regenerative, organs such as the brain. These types of stem
cells represent a very small population and are often buried
deep within a given tissue, making them difficult to identify,
isolate and grow in a laboratory setting.
Neuron â Dr. Gerry Shaw, EnCor Biotechnology Inc.
Astrocyte â Abcam Inc.
Oligodendrocyte â Dhaunchak and Nave (2007).
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104:17813-8
www.isscr.org
Embryonic stem cells
Embryonic stem cells have been derived from a variety
of species, including humans, and are described as
âpluripotent,â meaning that they can generate all the
different types of cells in the body. Embryonic stem cells
can be obtained from the blastocyst, a very early stage
of development that consists of a mostly hollow ball of
approximately 150-200 cells and is barely visible to the
naked eye. At this stage, there are no organs, not even
blood, just an âinner cell massâ from which embryonic stem
cells can be obtained. Human embryonic stem cells are
derived primarily from blastocysts that were created by
in vitro fertilization (IVF) for assisted reproduction but
were no longer needed.
The fertilized egg and the cells that immediately arise in the
first few divisions are âtotipotent.â This means that, under
the right conditions, they can generate a viable embryo
(including support tissues such as the placenta). Within a
matter of days, however, these cells transition to become
pluripote ...
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
Â
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
Â
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using âinvisibleâ attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Â
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
Safalta Digital marketing institute in Noida, provide complete applications that encompass a huge range of virtual advertising and marketing additives, which includes search engine optimization, virtual communication advertising, pay-per-click on marketing, content material advertising, internet analytics, and greater. These university courses are designed for students who possess a comprehensive understanding of virtual marketing strategies and attributes.Safalta Digital Marketing Institute in Noida is a first choice for young individuals or students who are looking to start their careers in the field of digital advertising. The institute gives specialized courses designed and certification.
for beginners, providing thorough training in areas such as SEO, digital communication marketing, and PPC training in Noida. After finishing the program, students receive the certifications recognised by top different universitie, setting a strong foundation for a successful career in digital marketing.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Â
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
⢠The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
⢠The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate âany matterâ at âany timeâ under House Rule X.
⢠The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty, In...Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Â
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty,
International FDP on Fundamentals of Research in Social Sciences
at Integral University, Lucknow, 06.06.2024
By Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty, In...
Â
Stem Cell Essay+Rubric
1. Marley Emerich
Gr. 9
Biology/Chemistry
Stem Cells One World Essay
Beijing BISS International School
School Code: 1123
Date Submitted: September 26, 2011
2. What if one cell could be the cure to cancer? What if one cell could cure
Parkinsonâs disease, or a paralyzed body? Scientists worldwide are already hard at work
in perfecting the art of Embryonic Stem Cell transplants. An embryonic stem cell is
totipotent, which means it can become any cell in your body. For this reason embryonic
stem cells are so valuable. Imagine a world where a simple stem cell transplant could
cure cancer or bring back someoneâs paralyzed legs. Scientists harvest the stem cells
from an embryo and have been trying to cure illnesses and injuries with these cells.
Embryonic Stem Cell research is a recent study only to spark interest around 1995.
Because of its many ethical controversies, in 1999 the congress in the United States
banned any federal or government funding of the studies. Any studies and trials would
have to be funded privately. Until 2009, President Obama lifted the law and allowed the
government to fund the studies. , (2009, Obama Ends Stem Cell Research Ban, CBS
NEWS) Now, with endless possibilities there is even more hope to what embryonic stem
cell research can do. But there are many issues presented with the research as well.
Ethical as well as political and some religious issues arise when the topic of embryonic
stem cell research comes up. In this One World Essay I will discuss the science of stem
cells and how to harvest them, the advantages and disadvantages of using them, and
finally the One World Issues and their relationship to the stem cell research. First off, I
will describe the science of acquiring stem cells.
3. There are two
main methods to
acquiring stem cells.
There is the method that
requires embryonic stem
cells and the method that
uses therapeutic cloning
to create stem cell lines.
The method that most
scientists are eager to
Figure
 1
 -Ââ
 One
 form
 of
 stem
 cell
 cultivation.
 Using
 IVF.
 (Stem
 Cells,
 Year
 Progress
 Report,
 perfect is embryonic
whyflies.org
Â
stem cell method. This
method is more useful because embryonic stem cells can become any other cell in your
body. Figure 1 shows how it is done. The procedure begins with harvesting or taking a
fertilized embryo that was made using In Vitro Fertilization from a donor. In Vitro
Fertilization is a way of creating embryos without actual intercourse. The sperm is
mixed with egg in a dish and then used either for research or planted in a womanâs
uterus. After the embryo is fertilized, a scientist takes a single cell from the embryo,
which is then put into a dish, which contains all vital nutrients and suitable environment
for the cell to survive and grow. Scientists hope to use these cells to one day grow new
healthy organs or cure diseases like cancer by replacing the mutated cells with new and
healthy ones. (cord-blood-cells.com, Harvesting Embryonic Stem Cells) This is just one
4. of the procedures that involves stem cells but it is the one with the most controversy
because you kill the embryo in the process. But learning about both the advantages and
disadvantages of the research is a key element in why there is so much controversy in
the research.
There are many advantages
to using stem cells. The biggest
advantage is the ability to use the
growing stem cells to make new
organs and tissues. People
worldwide have already been using
adult, embryonic, and cloned stem
cells to treat diseases like
Figure
 2
 -Ââ
 Since
 March
 of
 2010,
 the
 amount
 of
 people
 treated
 with
 Parkinsonâs or Leukemia. Scientists
Stem
 Cell
 therapy
 for
 their
 conditions
 successfully.
 (Canadian
 Stem
 Cell
Â
Foundation
 Blog,
 2010
 have also successfully made
bladders of all sizes out of stem cells. Dr. Anothony Atala (Wake Forest University) has
created multiple bladders and almost every type of human cell. Bladders can easily be
made outside of the human body, as can many other cells and even heart valves with the
help of stem cells. Although some of the more complex cells like pancreas, liver, and
nerve cells cannot survive growing in a dish. Another huge advantage to adult stem cell
transplants in particular is that a donor can use his or her own tissue (or DNA) to
generate new skin or other organs. This means that donors and doctors donât have to
worry about donor rejection or any infections that another personâs tissue could cause.
Dr. Atala also discovered that amniotic fluids contain stem cells. This is another
5. advantage because their stem cells fluids can help regenerate the cells that canât grow in
a dish and have also proven to grow muscle and bone. (Alice Park, The Science of
Growing Body Parts, www.time.com, 2007) One day, this process could work for every
single organ and disease, and millions of sick people could be saved. But there are
always disadvantages to research like this as well.
There are several disadvantages to using stem cells. One is the serious problem
with donor rejections. While with some cases donor rejection is not usually a problem
there is always the possibility of it. For example, if someone gets a bladder transplant
made by embryonic stem cells, there is a possibility the patients body would reject the
transplant because it detects it as a foreign object and would attack the organ. This
could cause serious illness or infections depending on the situation. Sometimes itâs not
just infection but instead the cells mutate and could cause tumors and at many times,
cancer. Another disadvantage is, the process of getting donors is also a very long and
painful one. When women donate eggs it is not only very painful and costly, but a
woman can only donate a certain amount of eggs at a time. For the women, there is a
risk of infertility after the surgery. There is also the possibility of infection or bleeding
which could possibly alter the womanâs fertility or ability to conceive children. IVF1, Egg
Donor Risks, ivf1.com) And with the limited amount of eggs a woman can donate at a
time, over 500,000 women would have to be willing to do so for enough eggs for
successful research or transplants. This number is very unrealistic and is a major
disadvantage. So not only can stem cells be dangerous and the process be painful for
both the donor and patient, but also there are some major ethical issues presented with
6. it.
Some people consider a child to be alive the minute it is conceived. Other people
believe that itâs months until the child develops awareness and a brain for it to be
considered alive in the motherâs womb. With every embryonic stem cell procedure, or
bit of research, an embryo has to die. Embryos in this research are taken from the
blastocyst, which is the embryo five days into gestation. But because the child has not
really formed, and was made for the purpose of stem cell research and made using in-
vitro fertilization, itâs a debate on whether using the embryonic stem cells is killing or
not. Most scientists and many other people believe that using this embryo is not killing a
human life and that the child has not formed at all and the embryo was made for the
purpose of research. If the problem people have with embryonic stem cell transplant is
the idea of killing a potential human that would grow and live, then they need to take
into consideration that 73% of IVF (in-vitro fertilization) transplants donât survive
anyway. That is, 1 out of 4 IVF transplants survive, so the embryo harvested probably
wouldnât have survived anyway. (http://reliableinfertilityanswers.com/ivf-statistics/)
Although, there are many religious groups and people who think that from the moment
of conception, that embryo is a living human soul. It is also a fact that at the moment of
conception, all the embryos DNA and genetic material is formed. This is technically
giving it a unique structure and what some people believe to be its soul or personality.
What would this child have become? What could he or she have done for the world if it
had been born? (DĂłnal P. O'MathĂşna, PhD, http://cbhd.org, 2000) Even if it is helping
a human life, no one has the right to take away another. Both sides have good points,
7. but no one can say for certain which one is right. But there are also some political issues
presented with stem cells.
Federal funding for stem cell research was banned for eight years in the United
States. (B.A Robinson, Politics of Extracting New Stem Cell Lines,
religioustolerance,org, 2003) In eight years, the amount of research and discoveries
that could have been made are enormous. Because there was no government funding of
the research, scientists doing trials and studies had to rely on donations alone. Religious
groups would cause scenes and protests around the country because they disagreed with
stem cell research. For this reason, the studies were frowned upon in the United States
for many years. Other countries such as China, Australia, and Singapore excelled in
research for many years. In 2008, President Obama revoked the law because "medical
miracles do not happen simply by accident," (2009, Obama Ends Stem Cell Research
Ban, CBS NEWS) and promised his administration would make up for the ground lost
under his predecessor. This was a major step and since then there has been more
progress and discoveries with stem cells. But many people still strongly disagree with
the research. The protests and unhappiness of the people causes bad press and makes
the government look bad. There was much controversy that this was the reason that the
government banned the funding before, because it caused bad press. This was the
reason the United States banned it. But in the end, this research is more beneficial
towards the government than it is bad. More people in the United States are being
treated for diseases and injuries. The more discoveries the Untied States makes, the
more the other countries who support stem cell research will approve of them. This
research could possibly bring countries together peacefully. It aids the country
8. economically, politically, and it helps the thousands of people who are getting treated by
stem cells.
Personally, I find nothing wrong with Stem Cell research. If scientists can perfect
it, every disease and injury will be able to be cured. Imagine a world with no sick. No
one dying of cancer or AIDS. There will never be anyone who canât walk again. If the
donor is willing to give her egg for research then so be it. There was no real conception.
The egg was made for research and hasnât developed any consciousness or organs. It is
not a human. So in the end, stem cell research is a tremendous and amazing discovery
that has benefited the world in so many ways. It has cured diseases and injuries,
harvested new organs, and saved lives. Whether or not itâs taking a life or not, the
research has saved thousands upon thousands of lives and will continue to with the
research still rolling in. The laws have been lifted and the doors to the discoveries have
opened. Itâs not taking a life; itâs giving it back to the thousands who might lose it.
9. Bibliography:
⢠CBCNEWS. "Obama Ends Stem Cell Research Ban - CBS News." Breaking News
Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Sept.
2011.<http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/09/politics/100days/domesticissues/
main4853385.shtml>.
⢠Clark, Janet Mulroney. "Moral Issues in Stem Cell Research | eHow.com." eHow | How
to Videos, Articles & More - Trusted Advice for the Curious Life | eHow.com. N.p., n.d.
Web. 7 Sept. 2011. <http://www.ehow.com/about_5245173_moral-issues-stem-cell-
research.html>.
⢠Deem, Rich. "What is Wrong With Embryonic Stem Cell Research?." Evidence for God
from Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Sept. 2011.
<http://www.godandscience.org/doctrine/stem_cell_research.html>.
⢠Doerflinger, Richard. "Stem Cell Research." Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2011.
<http://www.nebcathcon.org/Stemcell/stem_cell_research.htm>. "Egg Donor Risks |
⢠Egg Donation Risks." IVF Fertility Clinic | Chicago Infertility Specialist - Dr. Randy
Morris. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2011. <http://www.ivf1.com/egg-donor-risk/>.
⢠"Harvesting Embryonic Stem Cells | Cord Blood Cells." Cord Blood Cells . N.p., n.d. Web.
25 Sept. 2011. <http://cord-blood-cells.com/harvesting-embryonic-stem-cells.html>
⢠O'Mathúna, Dónal P. . "Cloning and Stem Cell Research: Wrong Motives on Both Sides
of the Atlantic | The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity." Home | The Center for
Bioethics & Human Dignity. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2011.
<http://cbhd.org/content/cloning-and-stem-cell-research-wrong-motives-both-sides-
atlantic>.
⢠Robinson, B.A.. "Human stem cell research." Religious Tolerance. N.p., 9 Nov. 2003.
Web. 7 Sept. 2011. http://www.religioustolerance.org/res_stem5.htm
⢠"Stem cells: What they are and what they do - MayoClinic.com." Mayo Clinic. N.p., n.d.
Web. 7 Sept. 2011. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stem-cells/CA00081>.
⢠"The Science of Growing Body Parts - TIME." Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs,
News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews - TIME.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2011.
<http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1679115,00.html>.
⢠Vestal, Christine . "Stem Cell Research at the Crossroads of Religion and Politics - Pew
Forum on Religion & Public Life." Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. N.p., 17 July
2008. Web. 7 Sept. 2011. http://pewforum.org/Science-and-Bioethics/Stem-Cell-
Research-at-the-Crossroads-of-Religion-and-Politics.aspx
Pictures:
⢠Bio-bombshell." The Why Files | The Science Behind the News. N.p., n.d.
Web. 25 Sept. 2011. http://whyfiles.org/189stem_cell/2.html
⢠"March  2010  The Stem Cell Foundation Blog." Renew the World. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2011. <http://stemcellfoundation.ca/blog/2010/03/>