The Pros And Cons Of Stem Cell Research

“All stem cells… are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods; they are unspecialized; and the can give rise to specialized cell types” (stemcells.nih.gov). Stem cells have the capability to develop into many different types of cells. It is believed that this could possibly cure many diseases. Researchers are attempting to use embryonic stem cells because they are pluripotent, which means they are able to develop into any type of cell. The adult stem cells are still questionable. Somatic (adult) stem cells are understood to be confined to the tissue of origin. Like any kind of experiment, there are the pros and cons to researching the stem cells, but sometimes the abysmal succeeds the positive, and there are always alternating

There are many different ways to approach the situation without bringing harm to the unborn baby. Robinson quoted in “What is a Human Embryo?”: “You can have the argument that abortion is a conflict of rights between the unborn child… versus the woman’s right… to control her own body. [However] this is a different issue. This is where a human being, without their consent, can be used for research to benefit someone else. It's a living human being. It’s not a situation where you have even the question of the remains of an aborted human being. This is a live human being that has to be killed.’” The baby that begins to grow and form at conception has no choice if it wants to live or be used for research. Cells are considered to be a living organism; therefore an “blastocyste” could be considered a living embryo, even without having human features. Not only is using a living embryo unacceptable, but the embryonic scientific method could possibly create neoplasm. “Embryonic stem cells stored over time have been shown to create the type of chromosomal anomalies that create cancer cells” (nationalcordbloodprogram.org). Using research methods that endanger the life of another human being is unnecessary when there are many alternative sources

According to allaboutpopularissues.org “...adult stem cells are superior to both umbilical cord and embryonic stem cells. They are plentiful. There is always an exact DNA match so the body's immune system never rejects them.” Adult stem cells can come from many different places, such as bone marrow, blood vessels, the human brain, and the heart. According to the National Institutes of Health, stem cells that are in the bone marrow “... can generate bone, cartilage, and fat cells that support the formation of blood and fibrous connective tissue.” Receiving the stem cells from bone marrow can be very painful, but if people of the same blood type donate the blood from the umbilical cord or placenta could save others from the painful procedure. Nationalcordbloodprogram.org states that, “Cord blood contains all the normal elements of blood - red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma. But it is also rich in hematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cells, similar to those found in bone marrow.” Many disease have already been treated with the stems cells from cord blood. “More than 80 different diseases have been treated to date with unrelated cord blood transplants” (nationalcordbloodprogram.org). All of these alternative sources are more sensible than embryonic stem cell