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Ciara Ward
Aughenbaugh
English 12
13 March 2015
Stem Cell Research: A Gateway to Prolong The Instinct to Survive?
What comes to mind when the words, “Stem Cell Research” are spoken? In science, it is
both a medical breakthrough, and an ethical controversy. Stem cell research can cure and treat
many diseases in the world today, but the procedure done to obtain such cells has caused the
public’s controversial views to turn towards the negative side, rather than the affirmative.
Today’s science and technology is taking a step towards making stem cell research and therapy
more beneficiary, because it has been proven miraculous in its healing capabilities.
Stem cells are the body’s natural reparative cells. A stem cell is a generic cell that can
make exact copies of it indefinitely. A stem cell has the ability to make specialized cells for
various tissues in the body, such as heart muscle, brain tissue, and liver tissue. Stem cells can be
used later to make specialized cells, when needed. There are two basic types of stem cells:
Embryonic stem cells these are taken from aborted fetuses or fertilized eggs that are left over
from in vitro fertilization (IVF). They are useful for medical and research purposes because they
can produce cells for almost every tissue in the body. Adult stem cells- these are not as versatile
for research purposes because they are specific to certain cell types, such as blood, intestines,
skin, and muscle. The term “adult stem cell” may be misleading because both children and adults
have them, because they all possess the same organs (umm.edu.).
Organs that contain stem cells include the brain, bone marrow, endothelium, skeletal
muscle, skin, digestive system, pancreas, and liver. The brain’s stem cells can differentiate into
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the three kinds of nervous tissue—astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons—and, in some
cases, blood cell precursors. Bone marrow contains hematopoietic stem cells, which give rise to
all blood cells, and as stoma cells, which differentiate into cartilage and bone. Endothelium,
referred to as hemangioblasts, is known to differentiate into blood vessels and cardiomyocytes.
They may originate in bone marrow, but this is uncertain. The skeletal muscles contain stem
cells that may be isolated from muscle or bone marrow. They mediate muscle growth and may
proliferate in response to injury or exercise. Stem Cells of the skin are associated with the
epithelial cells, epidermal cells, hair follicle cells, and the basal layer of the epidermis. These
stem cells are involved in repair and replacement of all types of skin cells. Located in the
intestinal crypts or invaginations, stem cells in the digestive system are responsible for renewing
the epithelial lining of the gut. In the pancreas many types of stem cells are believed to exist, but
examples have yet to be isolated. Some neural stem cells are known to generate pancreatic B
cells. The identity of stem cells in the liver is still unclear; stem cells in bone marrow may repair
liver damage, but most repairs seem to be carried out by the hepatocytes (liver cells) themselves .
Still, stem cells aid in the treatment of diseases (“Stem Cell Research: Medical Applications and
Ethical Controversy”).
Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSC’s) found in bone marrow and create all types of blood
cells: red blood cells, B and T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, neutrophils, platelets and more.
This type of stem cell was the first to be used medically. These cells give a rise to new blood
supply when a patient receives a bone marrow transplant. Mesenchymal Cells- (Bone marrow
stromal cells) they make bone cells, cartilage cells, and fat cells. These cells are one of the few
adult cells that can be obtained reliably, and is being explored in clinical trials for liver disease,
heart disease, Chron’s Disease, etc. Cord Blood Cells are cells that are collected from a baby’s
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umbilical cord right after birth. Mainly contains HSC’s and can be used to treat Leukemia and
other blood disorders. These cells do not require painful bone marrow extraction. Neural Stem
Cells are cells that migrate within the brain and spinal cord and even integrate with existing
neurons. Neural stem cells derived from fetal tissues were tested in a clinical trial for Batten’s
Disease—a fatal hereditary disease that poisons the brain’s own cells.
Stem cells help treat and cure many diseases the world is plagued with today. Leukemia
is the most prevalent illness that stem cells have helped immensely. Leukemia is a cancer of
blood cells that affects a white cell known as lymphocyte and another form of lymphocytes
called myeloid cells, found in the bone marrow and general circulation. Standard treatment
involves radiation and chemotherapy and in extreme radiation, it involves the complete
destruction of bone marrow, afterward resulting in new bone marrow from a suitable donor. But
it is difficult to find a suitable donor. For many patients, there simply are no suitable donors,
turning the case for the grim. Stem cell therapy has the potential to treat all forms of Leukemia
with autologous transplants, thus removing the need to find bone marrow donors. Stem cells,
isolated from the bone marrow of the affected patient, can be induced to differentiate into normal
white blood cells and then grow in culture to increase their numbers. Once these cells are
collected, the patient’s cancerous bone marrow is destroyed, and turns into healthy, cancer-free
bone marrow. Another widespread disease stem cells avail is diabetes. Categorized as a chronic
metabolic disorder, diabetes is a disease that destroys the body’s ability to utilize glucose, a
molecule that is critically important to all cells, particularly neurons, as an energy source. When
diabetes strikes, B (beta) cells lose the ability to manufacture and release insulin, leading to a
buildup of glucose in the blood, leading to glycosylation (high blood sugar levels). Treatment is
very expensive, amounting to about $98 billion annually (“Stem Cell Research: Medical
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Applications and Ethical Controversy”). Diabetes is currently treated with daily injections of
purified insulin. While this treatment controls the immediate danger of high blood glucose levels,
it does not cure diabetes or remove the long-term threat of kidney failure. However, by
investigation, if possible, stem cells could be harvested from each diabetic patient, stimulated to
differentiate into beta cells, and then returned to the patient in the hope they will colonize the
pancreas, thus curing the disease. Despite their ability to aid in these treatments, some people are
against the progression of this science.
In 2001, President Bush, whom opposed such funding for embryonic stem cell research
in his previous year’s campaign, announced his final decision (“Human Embryonic Stem Cell
Policy under Former President Bush”). Stem cell research is acknowledged by the White House
as one of the most important issues that President Bush will ever confront as a President.
President Bush sought opinions from doctors, medical ethicists, other politicians, religious
leaders and people afflicted with diseases stem cell research can cure, to better emphasize his
stance on the funding. Finally, on August 9, 2001, former President George W. Bush announced
that federal funds may be awarded for research using human embryonic stem cells if the
following criteria are met: The derivation process (which begins with the destruction of the
embryo) was initiated prior to 9:00 P.M. EDT on August 9, 2001, the stem cells must have been
derived from an embryo that was created for reproductive purposes and was no longer needed,
informed consent must have been obtained for the donation of the embryo and that donation
must not have involved financial inducements.
Even with the hindrances of opposing views on stem cell research, scientists are still
striving to make medical history. Scientists in South Korea pulled off two firsts in the field of
human embryonic stem (ES) cells and human cloning (“Scientists Take Step Toward Therapeutic
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Cloning.”). They produced on ES cell line from cloned human cells—an advance that holds
promise for replacing damaged cells (by diseases such as Parkinson’s and diabetes.) This has
helped the team overcome some of the obstacles that to date have hampered human and monkey
cloning. The work is likely to reignite the smoldering debate over how such research should be
regulated. Previous published attempts at human and monkey cloning have failed, leading some
scientists to speculate that primates might pose a particular challenge. Their method of removing
the egg’s nucleus might have been one of the secrets to the South Korean scientists’ success.
“Korean scientists’ most important advantage was the whopping two hundred forty three eggs
they had to work with.” (“Scientists Take Step Toward Therapeutic Cloning.”) The team
obtained oocytes and donor cells from sixteen healthy women, who underwent hormone
treatment to stimulate their ovaries to overproduce maturing eggs. (The women donated
specifically for the experiments, were not compensated; and were informed that they would not
personally benefit from the research.)
Stem cell research is viewed as beneficial even in scientific institutes, such as the World
Stem Cell Institute. This institute is dedicated to promoting and aiding to achieve its goals for
2015 of providing financial assistance to patients who would benefit from a stem cell treatment,
but do not have the funds required for the stem cell treatment or costs while undergoing a stem
cell treatment and research to provide better treatments and advance stem cell configuration. In
addition to the dedication to financial assistance, the institute has programs dealing with stem
cell research directly: AIDS program provides research in creating a cell line and stem cell
treatments to reverse or eliminate the course of the disease; Anti-Aging Program includes age
management with the use of a specific cell line that would rejuvenate and reverse aging. The
company will publish the findings of the research by news releases which would make
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information available to the general public, medical organizations and scientists all at the same
time. Macular Degeneration Program aids the ceasing in progression of macular degeneration
and other eye related diseases and includes clinical trials using stem cell treatments. ASD
(Autism) Program uses research from the institute’s laboratory and clinical trials to improve the
outcome of stem cell treatments for autistic children and treatment for those who cannot afford
the cost. Preemie Program provides clinical trials that would help prevent blindness and other
debilitating diseases in premature babies with the use of stem cells from the laboratory of World
Stem Cell Institute or other approved lab. Fifteen million babies globally are born prematurely
every year (“World Stem Cell Institute”). The rate of pre-terms births has increased over the last
twenty five years and at a present approximately one in ten births are premature births.
Prematurity is the leading cause of neonatal mortality at approximately twenty five percent, but
with the help of stem cells, babies who were born prematurely can be aided in their growth
process (“World Stem Cell Institute”).
In the evidence depicted, stem cell research is an essential key to expanding scientific
research in the curing of current, prevailing diseases. In the progression of such science, chemists
and scientists have developed medical breakthroughs. These breakthroughs have provided hope
to those who need further treatment for the illness that ails the patient, and further knowledge in
the instinctual survivals of humans.
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Works Cited
Black, Melissa. “Analysis: President Bush To Announce Tonight His Decision On Federal
Funding For Embryonic Stem Cell Research.” All Things Considered (NPR) (n.d.):
Newspaper source plus. Web. 24 Feb. 2015.
“Human Embryonic Stem Cell Policy under Former President Bush” (Aug. 9, 2001- Mar. 9,
2001). In Stem Cell Information [World Wide Website]. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of
Health, V.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2009. 24 Feb. 2015. Web.
Panno, Joseph PhD. “Stem Cell Research: Medical Applications and Ethical Controversy”. New
York: Facts on File, Inc., 2005. Print.
“Stem Cell Research.” umm.edu. University of Maryland Medical Center, 2015. 13 Feb. 2015.
Web.
Vogel, Gretchen. “Scientists Take Step Toward Therapeutic Cloning.” Science 303.5660 (2004):
937. Master File Main Edition. 25 Feb. 2015. Web
“What Kind of Stem Cells is Being Tested in Humans?” ure.com. Macmillan Publishers Limited,
2015. Web. 03 March 2015
<ure.com/stemcells/2007/0706/070614/full/stemcells.2007.24.html/>.
“World Stem Cell Institute.” Worldstemcellinstitute.org. World Stem Cell Institute, 2015. 26
Feb. 2015. Web.
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