Supporters also argue that the fertilized eggs created during in-vitro fertilization would be discarded anyway, so they might be put to better use for scientific research. They note that researchers receive consent from the donor couple whose eggs and sperm were used to create the embryo. Supporters of stem cell research, on the other hand, believe that the embryos are not yet humans. They argue that the embryo should have the same rights as every other human and that these rights should be protected. They don’t think the fertilized eggs should be used for research. Opponents believe that an embryo is a living human being. This raises ethical concerns for people who believe that the destruction of a fertilized embryo is morally wrong. During the process of harvesting embryotic stem cells, the embryo is destroyed. However, in recent years, there has been controversy surrounding the way human embryonic stem cells are obtained. However, more research is needed to help understand the potential uses of amniotic fluid stem cells.Īdult stem cells don’t present any ethical problems. This is the fluid that surrounds a developing baby inside the mother’s womb. Stem cells have also been found in amniotic fluid. These cells have been successfully used to treat children with blood cancers, such as leukemia, and certain genetic blood disorders. They can be frozen in cell banks for use in the future. Cord blood stem cells and amniotic fluid stem cellsĬord blood stem cells are harvested from the umbilical cord after childbirth. Research is underway to find ways to produce iPSCs safely. This will help prevent the immune system from rejecting an organ transplant. Scientists are hoping that the cells can be made from someone’s own skin to treat a disease. This may make them more useful in understanding how diseases develop. The breakthrough has created a way to “de-differentiate” the stem cells. To create iPSCs, scientists genetically reprogram the adult stem cells so they behave like embryonic stem cells. This means they can potentially produce new cells for any organ or tissue. They can differentiate into all types of specialized cells in the body. ![]() These new types of cells are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Scientists have recently discovered how to turn adult stem cells into pluripotent stem cells. Doctors have been performing stem cell transplants, also known as bone marrow transplants, for decades using hematopoietic stem cells in order to treat certain types of cancer.Īdult stem cells can’t differentiate into as many other types of cells as embryonic stem cells can. ![]() They make new red blood cells, white blood cells, and other types of blood cells. They’re used by the body to repair and replace damaged tissue in the same area in which they are found.įor example, hematopoietic stem cells are a type of adult stem cell found in bone marrow. These stem cells come from developed organs and tissues in the body. Non-embryonic (adult) stem cellsĪdult stem cells have a misleading name, because they are also found in infants and children. These cells can give rise to virtually any other type of cell in the body. Embryonic stem cells are known as pluripotent stem cells. This involves fertilizing an embryo in a laboratory instead of inside the female body. They are harvested during a process called in-vitro fertilization. Embryonic stem cellsĮmbryonic stem cells come from human embryos that are three to five days old. There are several types of stem cells that can be used for different purposes. When a stem cell divides, it can either remain a stem cell or turn into a differentiated cell, such as a muscle cell or a red blood cell. Other cells in the body can only replicate a limited number of times before they begin to break down. They have the ability to divide and make an indefinite number of copies of themselves. Stem cells are cells that haven’t differentiated yet. Eventually, the cells begin to differentiate, taking on a certain function in a part of the body. The zygote divides into two cells, then four cells, and so on. This cell is called a zygote, or a fertilized egg. ![]() For example, red blood cells are specifically designed to carry oxygen through the blood.Īll humans start out as only one cell. These cells can only serve a specific purpose in a particular organ. Most cells in the body are differentiated cells. This means they’re capable of developing into cells that serve numerous functions in different parts of the body. Stem cells are undifferentiated, or “blank,” cells.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |