About

using embryotic stem cells to treat diseases.

Background

As you sat in the library with your friend studying the various terms for your module quiz, you were surprised to read an article about thousands of people dying due to organ failure who could have actually survived with stem cell implantation. Fortunately some scientists have succeeded in generating mini-livers, or liver buds, from stem cells that were taken from human skin. You also read about several controversies about the procedure.

Your curious nature leads you to research the subject further. You wonder about what stem cells are, how they're being used to treat diseases and injuries that have no other treatment options, and why they're the subject of such controversy? You were very fascinated to learn that stem cells can be grown into specialized cells, such as blood cells, brain cells, heart muscle or bone cells which can then be used to treat diseases such as spinal cord injuries, type 1 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, as well as organ failures. These stem cells can be derived from an embryo that is three to five days old. It can also be taken from adult stem cells, such as bone marrow or fat.

Although research into adult stem cells is promising, adult stem cells may not be as versatile and durable as are embryonic stem cells. Because human embryonic stem cells are extracted from human embryos, several questions and issues have been raised about the ethics of embryonic stem cell research.

Question

What is your opinion about using an embryo for stem cell research?