The Ethical And Religious Debate Over Stem Cell Usage

The ethical and religious debate over stem cell usage and development is hindering our ability to advance medically and cure more disease. The mid 1800s marked the beginning of stem cell research through the finding that some cells had the ability of regenerating other cells. The first embryonic stem cell lines were developed by James Thompson (University of Wisconsin-Madison) when he isolated cells from the inner cell mass of early embryos. In 1998, the same year of James Thompson’s discovery, â€Å"John Gearhart (Johns Hopkins University) derived germ cells from cells in fetal gonadal tissue (primordial germ cells). Pluripotent stem cell ‘lines’ were developed from both sources. The blastocysts used for human stem cell research typically come from in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures† (AllAbout 2002-2014, 1). This type of embryonic stem cell research quickly fueled ethical controversy. In very simple terms, stem cells are cells that have the strong ability to become any number of other cells. â€Å"Stem cells are distinguished from other cell types by two important characteristics. First, they are unspecialized cells capable of renewing themselves through cell division . . . Second, they can be induced to become tissue-or organ-specific cells with special functions† (NIH 2002, 1). There are two extensive groupings of stem cells in which scientists primarily work with. These include embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are â€Å"derived from the developingShow MoreRelatedStem Cells : Research For Disease Modeling And Drug Development1609 Words   |  7 Pages Stem Cells in Research without the Ethical Issues: Ways around Embryonic Stem Cells Deborah Baluyot Western Governors University Abstract: Using various academic journals and articles found online (Internet), this paper seeks to cover the use of human stem cells (hSCs) in research for disease modeling and drug development. Specifically, the ethical controversies that come with using embryonic stem cells (Lo Parham , 2009) and possible ways to get around them, will also beRead More A Look at Stem Cell Research Essay1424 Words   |  6 PagesA Look at Stem Cell Research Research in the development of stem cells has become increasingly popular over the past decade. The fascination in the study of stem cells by scientists comes from the mystery of what the essential properties are and how cells differ. 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