Stem Cells are the first cells that begin a human life, but some people have a problem with using them because of where they come from. So, the question is which is more important, the death of embryos or the saving of lives? Stem cells are the cells that can be whatever they need to, depending on what is needed. The Webster dictionary defines a stem cell as “An unspecialized cell that gives rise to differentiated cells.”. These cells have the potential to save thousands of lives and ease suffering but they are vexed because of how they are gained. To understand why there is such a controversy surrounding stem cells, we must first understand what a stem cell is and how they are obtained.
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells in the human body, this means that they lack a particular job, so …show more content…
When harvesting adult stem cells a catheter is placed in a large vein in the donor’s arm, blood travels through the catheter from the body to a machine that carries out a process called apheresis, which separates and collects stem cells from the blood. Once the stem cells are removed from the blood, they are returned to the donor usually in a certain organ or bone. The harvesting process takes 3 to 4 hours, depending on the amount of stem cells collected, this process may be repeated daily for up to 5 days to collect enough stem cells for a transplant. Adult Stem cells would be a better option than embryonic stem cells because the person is not harmed unlike the embryo. However stem cell extraction and use is a very controversial topic because some people believe an embryo is not technically alive. These people think that the harvesting of stem cells is okay. Could they be right?
People that agree with stem cells research think that embryos are not really alive they are just a bunch of cells just like any other cell in your body, like your arm, leg, or