Why is STEM research bad?
Stem cells differentiate into many specialized cells and are therefore of interest in chronic conditions for which treatment is limited. However, human embryonic stem cell (HESC) research is unethical since it results in the destruction of human life for research purposes.
Why is stem cell research frowned upon?
The fundamental assertion of those who oppose embryonic stem cell research is the belief that human life is inviolable, combined with the belief that human life begins when a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell to form a single cell.
Why is stem cell research difficult?
Growing or “culturing” stem cells is difficult, largely because no one knows exactly what nutrients the cells need. All recipes for growing stem cells include a suite of proteins. These large, complex molecules are made by and purified from cultures of other cells.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of stem cell?
According to a new research, stem cell therapy was used on heart disease patients. It was found that it can make their coronary arteries narrower. A disadvantage of most adult stem cells is that they are pre-specialized, for instance, blood stem cells make only blood, and brain stem cells make only brain cells.
What are the challenges in stem cell research?
Another challenge is how to identify and isolate stem cells from tissue, and then induce their differentiation into the desired cell types. The third challenge is how to prevent immunorejection after stem cell transplantation. Immunological rejection is a major barrier to successful stem cell transplantation.
What are the economic benefits of using stem cells?
In the context of stem cell research, economic benefit is generally pre- mised on the following expectations: curing disease and improving health (thus reducing health care costs and improving productivity); stimulating the growth of the biotech sector; and generating tax revenue and royalties through relevant …
Are attitudes toward stem cell research changing?
With this and other recent advances in stem cell technology, attitudes toward stem cell research are slowly beginning to change. Stem cell research is helping scientists to understand how an organism develops from a single cell, and how healthy cells come to replace defective cells in people and animals.
Should you be wary of unproven stem cell treatments?
It also warns people to be wary of undergoing any unproven treatments because very few stem cell treatments have actually reached the earliest phase of a clinical trial. Historically, the use of stem cells in medical research has been controversial.
What happens to stem cells after they are collected?
After collecting the stem cells, scientists usually store them in liquid nitrogen for future use. However, researchers have not yet been able to turn these cells into any kind of bodily cell. Scientists are researching how to use stem cells to regenerate or treat the human body.
Should stem cell research be allowed to use existing stem cells?
Allowing research to be carried out on the stem cell lines might allow some good to come out of their destruction. However, using only existing embryonic stem cell lines is scientifically problematic. Originally, the NIH announced that over 60 hESC lines would be acceptable for NIH funding.