Stem+Cell+Research



Stem cells are cells with the ability to differentiate into specialized cell types. They are usually found in adult tissue and the embryos.
 * Define Stem Cells**

Adult stem cells are found in various types of tissues, such as the brain, bone marrow, the lungs, skin, liver, blood vessels, and even dead bodies during the first twenty hours. Embryonic stem originate from a four year old embryo in the blastocyst phase of development, which is when the zygote's cells divide.

Stem Cells remain in an inactive state until they are needed due of a disease or tissue injury. They have the ability to divide or renew themselves, and they can differentiate to turn into other cell types.

The reason scientists are interested in stem cells is because they can be introduces into various cell types, aiding in the repairment of the damaged tissue.


 * Advantages/Benefits**
 * It provides great potential for discovering treatments and cures to diseases like Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, Cancer, spinal cord injuries, diabetes and many more.
 * Scientists and doctors will be able to test millions of potential drugs and medicine, without the use of animals or human testers.
 * Organs and limbs can be grown in a lab from stem cells and then used in transplants or to help treat illnesses.
 * Provides medical benefits in the fields of therapeutic cloning and regenerative medicine.
 * With an adult stem cell, patients can use their own cells to treat themselves. This reduces the risks of rejection.
 * Embryonic stem cells can develop into any cell types of the body, and may then be more versatile than adult stem cells.


 * Disadvantages/Limitations**
 * To research embryonic stem cells, scientists have to destroy the blastocysts that are formed from laboratory-fertilized human eggs. For people who believe that life begins at conception, the destruction of the blastocysts is destroying of a human life, which is immoral and unacceptable.
 * Embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos that are not a patient’s own and the patient’s body may reject them.
 * A disadvantage of using adult stem cells is that they are pre-specialized. Blood stem cells make only blood, and brain stem cells make only brain cells.
 * According to a new research stem cell therapy was used on heart disease patients.
 * It was found that it could make their coronary arteries become narrower. It’s still completely unknown what the long term effects of such an interference with nature could materialize.

Citations: @http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell @http://www.religioustolerance.org/res_stem.htm @http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/ @http://stemcell.ny.gov/publications_stem_cell_research_in_nys.html http://fdrgenetics5.wikispaces.com/Stem+Cell+Research3 @http://www.google.com.pe/images @http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/ @http://stemcell.ny.gov/publications_stem_cell_research_in_nys.html @http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell @http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Human_embryonic_stem_cells.png @http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Human_embryonic_stem_cell_colony_phase.jpg @http://www.buzzle.com/advantages-disadvantages/stem_cell.com
 * Bibliography**