November 27, 2012
Biology Period 1
Stem Cell Debate
I think that we should stick to researching adult stem cells because it is more ethical, better success rate than embryonic cells, and they are more knowledgeable to the people.
Adult stem cells are controversial but way less than embryonic stem cells. Stem cells are found in all multicellular organisms and are divided through mitosis. Adult stem cells are found in various tissues. Adult stem cells can be regenerated into specialized cells just not as many. Embryonic stem cells are isolated from inner cell mass of blastocysts. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent meaning they can become specialized in almost any cell or body tissue using embryos. Since they use embryos it killing a cell. All cells are living. The arguments debating the ones of embryonic stem cells are very close to the arguments of abortion. Embryos can also be cloned and that brings up more ethical concern. There are not many will donors of embryos also because of all the people that are against it.
Adult stem cells were discovered earlier than embryonic stem cells. The success rate is way higher in adult stem cells than embryonic stem cells. Because there are a number of stem cells in each particle of the body it is not a problem to harvest adult stem cells without putting the donor at risk. Your body is also more immune to your own body making the success rate higher. In embryonic stem cells there is more rejected cases. It is not a guaranteed cure.
Adult stem cells can be taken from your own body. Scientists discovered adult stem cells before embryonic. There are more facts adult stem cells then embryonic stem cells. More information is for sure accurate with the adult stem cells. Since there are more facts and information on adult stem cells more people are accepting of adult stem cells.
As of now I think researchers should only continue with the research of adult stem cells. I think scientists should discover a more
Cited: Stem Cell Basics: What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and adult stem cells? . In Stem Cell Information [World Wide Web site]. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011 [cited Thursday, November 29, 2012] Available at http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics5 Coony, Patrick. "Stem Cell Research." Stem Cell Research. N.p., June 2011. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.newsbatch.com/stemcells.htm>.