Stem Cells: The Building Blocks of Our Future

Blake Icabone

Ms. Pechek

Honors English 10

15 January 2007

Stem Cells: The Building Blocks of our Future

The issue of stem cell research has been one of the most controversial topics of our time. The critics will tell you that scientists are killing unborn humans in order to further move us towards cloning (Wikipedia 4). Those in favor of stem cell research are more concerned with the promise that it shows in the development of new medicines, knowledge, and possibly even organs for millions of patients around the world. So now we are left with the problem of whether or not stem cell research is worth the trouble (Stem Cell Basics 1).

Stem cells are common primal cells found among multi-cellular organisms that are capable of renewal and differentiation into other unique specialized cells. There are three categories of stem cells: embryonic stem cells, cord cells, and adult stem cells. Cord cells are taken from the umbilical cord of organisms. Embryonic stem cells are found in blastocysts, and can develop onto different body tissues. The more superior of the three, the adult stem cell, can be found in the tissue of an adult organism, and replenish specialized cells in the body (Stem Cell 1). Bone marrow and the peripheral system is the main source of adult stem cells, however there can be some drawbacks. The bone marrow is a very good place to get stem cells, but can result in a lot of painful bone marrow destruction. The peripheral system is harder to get stem cells from due to the large amount of time that has to be put into the process (Pros and Cons...1).

Not only do stem cells have different types, but they also have different potencies. Potency is the potential of the stem cells to develop into different cell types (Stem Cell 2). As Dianne Irving explains, stem cells can range from totipotent to pluripotent. Totipotent cells are less differentiated and have more capability of becoming any one kind of tissue. Pluripotent cells are more highly differentiated, and have cells capability of becoming any cell but have capability of becoming some cells in the body (1). There are also two other potencies of stem cells known as multipotent and unipotent. Multipotent cells have potential to become a cell in a closely related family of cells. Unipotent cells can only produce one type of cell, but tend to have self renewal properties (Stem cell 2).

Despite the enormous amount of promise that stem cells show, there are still a lot of critical people that argue about the ethics of the research itself and its possible outcome. Many people, opposing the act of aborting a fetus, are against the research of stem cells because of the fact that most of the stem cells used for research are taken from fetuses that have been aborted (Ethics of Stem... 1). Elizabeth Cohen explains that people will argue that life starts at the point of conception, whether it is done naturally or in a laboratory (2). People also believe that the use of embryonic stem cells taken from fetuses is not necessary because adult stem cells can be just as effective, and no harm has to be done (Stem Cell Research 2)

Another problem that a lot of people have with stem cell research is that it may in fact lead to the cloning of human beings. People think that allowing any somatic cell transfer at all may lead to cloning (Ethics of Stem... 1). Due to the fact that stem cell research may lead to the development of technology to be used for lab creating organs, many people are afraid that it may lead to cloning. Twenty-three of the states have cloning legislation pending, although no challenges to these bans have risen yet. This might be because we currently don't have the technology to clone humans yet (Strode 1). But whether or not we have cloned humans yet, or have even attempted to, does not stop people from being afraid of the thought of it (Ethics of Stem... 2).

Stem cell research has a long list of prospective goals that will, hopefully, one day be reached. Stem cells show promise everywhere from gaining knowledge about living organisms, to creating cures for some of the most prominent diseases and medical conditions of our time. The study of embryonic cells may eventually lead to information about how the human body is developed in its early stages (Stem Cell Basics 1).

Tissues that are developed using stem cells could be very important in the future when working with the development of new drugs. According to Janelle Strode, these tissues can be used as "a valuable test system for evaluating the toxicity and efficacy of new medicines or chemicals." Because these cells can so closely mimic the actions of tissues in the body they can be used as a very effective screening tool (3).

Probably the most important aspect to stem cell research is the development of organs to be used in diseased patients. Cells and tissues can be generated from stem cells to be used in cell based therapies that can treat diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, heart disease, and arthritis. It may be possible to generate heart muscles in a laboratory that can be implanted in a patient with chronic heart disease, or direct stem