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Jackson Bales
Mrs. Rausch
Chemistry
1 May, 2014
Stem Cells
Embryonic stem cell research has the potential to alleviate so much suffering. Surely, by
working together we can harness its life-giving potential (Nancy Reagan). Many scientists had
dreamed of being able to create body parts to save lives, this reality is now coming true because of
stem cells. Stems cells have the potential to create life but they also have the potential to destroy
life. There is great potential in stem cell research but also great controversy.
Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the
body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair
system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is
still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or
become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell,
or a brain cell (Stem Cell Basics 1). Stem cells are unique from every other cell. Every stem cell is
able to divide and renew itself for long periods, it is unspecialized, and it is able to give rise to
specialized cell types (Stem Cell Basics 2). This opens up many possibilities in what a stem cell can
do, cure diseases, create organs, and even save thousands of lives.
There are two different types of stem cells that scientists primarily use, adult stem cells and
embryonic stem cells. Adult stems cells are cells that regenerate damaged tissue and divide to
restore dying cells. Adult stem cells have the potential to create an entire organ with only a few
cells. This creation of a new organ is possible because of their ability to divide or self-renew

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indefinitely and to generate all the cell types of the organ from which they came from (Adult Stem
Cell 1). Embryonic stem cells come from embryos. These embryos are fertilized in vitro (in a lab)
and are donated for research purposes. As long as the embryonic stem cells in culture are grown
under the right conditions, they are able to remain unspecialized. But if cells are allowed to clump
together to form embryoid bodies, they begin to differentiate spontaneously. They can form muscle
cells, nerve cells, and many other cell types (Stem Cell Basics 3). Embryonic stem cells can
generate all cell types in the body, where adult stem cells are only multipotent and can produce
only a limited number of cell types (Embryonic Stem Cell 1).
Although stem cell research seems flawless there is a big controversy in the research.
Human embryos reach the blastocyst stage 45 days post fertilization. The embryonic stem cells
come from the blastocyst. Isolating the embryoblast results in destruction of the blastocyst which
raises controversy (Embryonic Stem Cell 1). Many people consider the embryo to have the same
moral status as other human beings. People will often relate retrieving embryonic stem cells to
aborting a baby. By using stem cells and discarding the embryo, it is thought that human life is
ultimately de-valued by this act and is paving a slippery slope for further scientific procedures that
similarly de-value life. In particular, many religious groups who are adamantly pro-life have
condemned embryonic stem cell research and all of its applications. Other arguments against
embryonic stem cells cite the fact that adult stem cells are the ones currently being used in
therapies and thus, there is no need to even venture into embryonic stem cell territory (Stem Cell
Controversy 1).
Recent discoveries in different stem cells may solve the problem of the controversy. There
are two different types of stem cells called STAP cells and iPS cells. For now, some human embryos
will still be needed for research. iPS and STAP cells are not exactly the same as hES cells (Human

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embryonic stem cells), and hES cells still provide important controls: they are a gold standard
against which the "stemness" of other cells is measured (The Stem Cell Debate: Is It Over? 1) Some
scientist want to keep studying all the stem cells because they arent sure which ones will be the
most effective and useful. There is hope that new stem cells will replace the controversial process in
obtaining the hES cells.
Stem cells are the future of medicine and have the potential of saving millions of lives. The
research on stem cells may still be in its early stages, but the future looks very bright. Many
scientists and doctors are using stem cells today to help people all across the world. Stem cells have
great potential to change the world for the better.

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