Stem Cell Research Questions

Stem Cell Research Questions

Stem Cell Research Questions

What makes embryonic stem cells so special? The fact that these cells have the capability to develop into many different cell types presents a new and unique challenge to scientist and the medical field as a whole. Stem cells are different from all other cells in two very important ways:

  1. Stem Cells are unspecialized cells and capable of replicating themselves indefinitely through cell division, even after long periods of inactivity.
  2. Under certain conditions, they can become either tissue or organ specific cells with special functions. .

They are pluripotent or have more than one potential outcome. Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC) can provide an unlimited supply of specific cell types for research as well as transplantation therapies for conditions ranging from heart disease to Parkinson’s to leukemia Some of the most severe medical conditions, like cancer and birth defects, are due to abnormal cell division and differentiation. Research provides insight on how these diseases and conditions occur and offer new strategies for treatment. hESC could be utilized to test new drugs, like cancer anti-tumor drugs.

The potential of embryonic stem cells to replace diseased or damaged cells in nearly every tissue of the body proclaims the arrival of a remarkable new field of medicine that promises cures for diseases and conditions that until now, were thought to be incurable. However, the research is being met with great resistance and the debate has become extremely political, religious, and confusing to many.