Stem Cell Research
by Why I believe stem cell research should continue.
Stem cells are cells that can differentiate into many different cell types when subjected to the right biochemical signals. Stem cells are a greatly anticipated new approach to treating different problems, such as CNS disorder, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s. The best kind of stem cells are called pluripotent stem cells, they come from the first couple of days after the sperm fertilizes the egg. Stem cells are believed to be able to be coaxed into whatever kind of tissues people need. These wonderful cells come from embryos, fetuses, bone marrow, and umbilical chords. (Google Definitions).
Stem Cells in laymen’s terms are raw cells (my definition). The theory of stem cells is that they have the ability to develop into brand new cells of any kind, this is done if you just attach them around the kind of cell (example: red blood cell, electrochemical signal giving nerve cell, or an insulin producing pancreas cell) you want (simple definition I made up, some help from Basics on Stem Cells). This would serve as a repair system for the body (Basics on Stem Cells). When the procedure for stem cells takes place, they divide and have the ability to stay a stem cell or become another with a focused purpose (Basics on Stem Cells). The new research on stem cells is helping us understand how an organism makes a new cell and how good cells replace bad cells (Basics on Stem Cells). Much of the research would greatly benefit mankind, and I believe that we should go ahead and research it if it could save lives. In this essay I am going to tell you about stem cell research and why I believe it should be done.
At this time, embryonic stem cells are believed to hold the most promise for advancements in medicine. An embryonic stem cell is a cell that comes from a woman’s embryo (Basics on Stem Cells). All living animals start out as this type of cell. It multiplies, divides, and turns into what we all know as a baby during the female’s nine-month time of pregnancy, but if you harvest it early in gestation, you get an amount of cells that when manipulated correctly can help living creatures heal themselves, this is called regenerative or reparative medicine (Basics on Stem Cells). When stem cells are introduced to a new environment they will repair damaged or destroyed cells or tissues (glossary from Basics on Stem Cells.)
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Post Commentjhenz
On February 25, 2009 at 7:34 pm
i’ve heard of stem cells as being able to help generate good cells to those dying ones. i know little about it. your article have informed me so much about it.
thanks for this article caleb! keep it up.
Concerned Mother
On March 9, 2009 at 11:33 pm
You have obviously never had a child. As a mother who currently has a new son in her womb, I can tell you that my son is very much alive and a person in my womb. A baby is viable and able to survive at 22 weeks gestation, so I take issue with your statement that “a baby is not yet living until if comes out of the woman”. I think that you need to do more research before making such statements. An 8 week old fetus can feel pain in the womb. If you are going to advocate stem cell research, that is your choice, but you cannot say that life is not being taken in doing so.
Caleb Nico
On March 10, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Dear Concerned Mother,
I wrote this four years ago and in that time have altered some of my views on abortion and what you are talking about. I wrote that for the most liberal, science heavy teacher I’ve ever had. I think I must have put those views on abortion in there to satisfy her. I now agree that if a creature can feel pain then you can’t decide it’s ok to morally end its life.
Enough on the abortion debate though. I still think what stem cells can offer is great. If you read closely I did make a reference to better sources of Stem Cells. More moral sources of them.
To everyone that disagrees on my views on Stem Cells (and abortion because that’s what everyone relates it to…) I have a few things to say. You may not be respecting the baby’s life in an abortion, but the amount of good that can come out of it might be worth it. Kantian vs. utilitarian ethics strikes again!
Caleb Nico
Caleb Nico
On March 10, 2009 at 10:23 pm
oh and one other thing, I’m male so of course I haven’t had a child. I sometimes wish I could and I completely understand that I get less of a say on something I can’t experience. Just like how straight people shouldn’t have any say on Gay rights, correct?
Concerned Mother
On March 19, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Perhaps you might consider changing your article to fit your current views before posting it then. As far as my comment that you have not had a child, I mean that I would guess that you have not started a family of your own. My husband will attest to the fact that once you see your little one moving around on an ultrasound, the first of which occurs around 8 weeks, you are hard pressed to deny that they are alive and your child. As far as stem cell research is concerned, I would love to see a program that took advantage of all of the umbilical cord blood, containing many stem cells, that is wasted every time it is thrown away after a baby is delivered. That way stem cell research progresses and babies are born. We will have to agree to disagree as to whether research is worth the life of a child. That is something that I could never condone.