Potential Applications Of Stem Cell Research example essay topic

Stem Cells: What, How and Why? Stem cells are infinitely valuable when considering their potential applications in the medical profession. While current legislative restrictions have halted the development of new? stem cell lines? to any agency or company that receives any form of governmental grants, there is no question that the medical profession is standing at the brink of a new era of technological advancements in healthcare and research. Stem cells are valuable due to the fact that they are? non-designated, ? (have no specifically assigned task in the body, i.e. liver cells, brain cells, skin cells, etc.) and they also have the ability to divide indefinitely.

Thus, theoretically stem cells could replace any damaged or lost specifically designated cells within the body. However, this is just a brief mention of the potential applications of stem cell research, which will be discussed at a later point in this essay. Stem cells are categorized into three genres based upon their potential developmental capability, total to limited. (NIH PRIMER web) Totipotent stem cells are stem cells whose potential is total, thus. Totipotent stem cells are derived from embryonic tissue and fertilized ovarian eggs. This type of stem cell is of particular importance to researchers due to its ability to? specialize membranes and tissues, the embryo, and tissues and organs?

(NIH Primer). However these type of cells are extremely difficult to come by and only occur in certain places at certain developmental times. Pluripotent stem cells are stem cells in which their potential is large but not total as in Totipotent stem cells. These cells lead to the development of many cells, but cannot derive certain types of fetal cells necessary for the development of a fetus as do Totipotent stem cells. These cells undergo further assignment into cells that are designed to derive specifically assigned cells. Pluripotent stem cells are somewhat easier to come by comparatively speaking to cells.

The final genre of stem cells is that of multi potent stem cells. These cells are more specialized than the other two categories and thus are more restricted in their capability. Multi potent stem cells are derived from stem cells. While stem cells are least in their potential capability, they are however the easiest type of stem cell to acquire. Two methods of acquiring stems cells have been born by two different men.

The first method, developed by Dr. Thomson involves? the isolation of stem cells directly from the inner cell mass of human embryos at the blastocyst stage. Dr. Thomson received embryos from IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) clinics.? Dr. Thomson isolated the inner cell mass and cultured these cells producing a stem cell line.? (NIH Primer) The second method of deriving stem cells was developed by Dr. Gearhart. In this more controversial method, Gearhart obtained stem cells from the fetal tissue of terminated pregnancies. He took cells from areas of the fetus that would soon develop into the reproductive organs of the fetus.

He then isolated the inner cell mass and cultured these cells. In was in this way that Dr. Gearhart produced stem cell line which would be available to other researchers. What little we know about stem cells has already altered the course of medical research and new findings are sure to expand on this occurrence. The potential applications of stem cell research include advancements in the study of Parkinson?'s, Alzheimer?'s, spinal cord damage, stroke, burn victims and patients in need of skin grafts, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis in addition to answering some of the many questions regarding gene therapy. So what's the problem? Well, the NIH (National Institutes of Health) issued a? primer? to explain what exactly are stem cells and what is the debate.

While this primer was my only source for this essay, it did neglect to discuss certain governmental issues, which revolve around the issue at hand. Most likely this can be attributed to the obvious, the NIH is a governmental agency. This is a precise example of why the issue of stem cell research is being called into question. Off course, ethics is at the bottom of the debate, as it most likely is in matter of the United States government. Even more at the foundation of the problem of stem cell research, cloning, and gene therapy and manipulation is the underlying theme of fear. For some it's the fear of tampering with nature.

For others it's the common fear of the unknown. Foremost, it's the fear of upcoming re-elections. So here we are, stuck in the middle of a hoopla debate over the ethics of bettering and saving millions of lives. This is was the U.S. government is infamous for. Let me clarify that this is not a cop out of the logistics revolving around the legislation of stem cells, rather it's my own combination of my opinion on the matter and a truthful attempt to cut through the bureaucratic b. 's. and get to the root of the issue.

Similarly, with the issue of abortion, the Republican Party has maintained it's conservative stance on the issue of stem cell research, putting it on the same moral plane as cloning. The issue of cloning and it's potential social and societal implications is an entirely different paper, but back to the topic at hand. At the very least we can expect to see more and more restrictions placed on researchers and scientist for the next three years, the end of President Bush's term. Perhaps we? ll see even more restriction if a republican president is elected following Bush. Some might say these restrictions are necessary as technology and knowledge expand. However, by allowing the government to limit was scientist can and can? t do; we? re only doing one thing.

Making the most brilliant minds our country has to offer leave. It seems as though America is one of the last overly conservative strongholds left in the modern world. If we allow our government to restrict what scientist can research in the United States, the scientist will simply move somewhere where the research isn? t illegal. I regard science as a passion. Ican say with absolute certainty it is not my passion, however to many who make it their career choice, it is. I offer youth is example.

My passion is writing, if the government made it illegal to write about what I desired, I would do whatever necessary to allow myself to follow my passion. Moving across that big pond we call the Pacific Ocean would be small price to pay to follow my passion and practice it freely. It should be noted that by restricting research of nearly any kind (yes I do have some morals) would simply result in the loss of America's greatest thinkers..