stem cell research
There is a huge morality question concerning the use of human embryos for stem cell research that claims their life. The main interest in stem cell research comes from the possibility to develop treatments and cures for the irrecoverable diseases that plague humanity such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, Parkinson’s, heart attacks and so on. Yet, lots of pro-life supporters who protest against stem cell research are unaware of the fact that not all lab procedures are harmful to embryos. Adult stem cells for instance represent a good biological material to work on, although with a lower potential then embryonic stem cells.
Unlike adult stem cells, embryonic stem groups can develop into absolutely any type of cells specific to the body. Moreover, stem cell research has proved the fact that stem cells collected from embryos are more valuable in the treatment of nervous disease. Bad bits can be identified for embryonic stem cells as well because very often they are rejected by the immune system. Such an issue ought to be known to parents who store stem cells from the umbilical cord blood, so that they may not be given false information that such samples can solve any future disease their child could be fighting against.
Lots of mysteries remain unsolved for the moment, and stem cell research needs to progress a bit further before coming up with new and viable treatments. The only kind of stem cell transplant that is no longer an issue or secret for the medical world is bone marrow transplantation, that has been practiced for almost fifty years now with great success. Other than this case, stem cell research cannot so far boast with the development of therapies that have a support in the treatment of human health problems. For the moment, stem cell research needs to come up with other collection sources other than embryos.
It was in 2007 that the Advanced Cell Technology Institute announced the creation of three stem cell lines that were produced without the destruction of the parenting embryos. Such significant achievements of stem cell research have been unparalleled so far in the history of medicine. In the same year, 2007, it was discovered that the amniotic fluid in which the fetus grows in the uterus contains stem cells that can specialize and develop into organs, bones, nerves, muscles or blood vessels. This new resource for tissues could increase the chances of developing ways to repair malfunctioning or injured organs.