stem inventory

Before anyone gets too highly emotional on the raging issue of stem cell research owing to its ethical considerations, it is still best for everyone to have a balanced and objective view of what this type of science can actually do to humankind.

Stem cell research is a technology that takes human cells and develops them into most any of the 200 varieties of cells in the human body, including blood cells and brain cells.

Since its scientific breakthrough in 1998, there are hopes that the research could result to the possibility of treating heart disease, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. In other countries, stem cell research indicates that it can also be used for combating old age or for treating some skin disorders, other issues such as sleep disorders might be cured as well.

Here are several breakthroughs in stem cell research that humanity can possibly benefit:

1) Embryonic stem cell research using adult and embryonic stem cells has yielded promising results for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and diabetes. Research also shows that this is critical to understanding the causes of disease like cancer.

2) Embryonic stem cell research is also considered ‘the threshold of cloning’. There are already several scientists who have started testing about this and may end up successful if research will continue with enough support from government.

Those that have simple understanding of the science explain that stem cell treatment is like a microscopic organ transplant. When injected to the body, the cells will travel to damaged tissue and replace or repair it. Several of these illnesses aside from the ones mentioned earlier that can be treated are spinal cord injuries.

But these developments are still a long way off. What is important to remember is that possibilities of stem cell treatment are high. It is also important to note that so far adult stem cells are the ones being tested that have helped patients. The Embryonic stem cell research has not yet helped a single patient anywhere in the world.

Human embryos are one of the sources of stem cell research which also have become the center of debate due to ethical reasons. There are three sources of embryos: those that are left of invitro fertilization treatment, embryos from donor eggs and sperm which are created in laboratories, and the embryos which are cloned from somatic (body cells).

Some scientists regard frozen IVF embryos as a useful tool for investigating the mysteries of embryo development and mechanisms of genetic diseases. However, at this stage it is unlikely that can be used for cures because the stem cells will not have the same genetic make-up as the patients and will be rejected without using anti-rejection drugs.

So the preferred option is to create new embryos via nuclear somatic transfer. This is the same method used to clone Dolly the sheep. IN this case, human embryos will be deliberately created for the sole purpose of extracting their stem cells, a procedure which is also called as “therapeutic cloning.”

But this is where the ethics and morality come into play as there are issues relating to how to produce “embryo farms” on an industrial scale. Eggs are scarce and expensive because few women will want to experience the pain, inconvenience and physical risk involve in harvesting eggs.

This could also be exploited against poor women who would be willing to “sell” themselves in the experiment. “Therapeutic cloning” is initially opposed by feminist movements.

In lieu of such difficulty, scientists are now thinking of creating hybrid cow-human or rabbit-human embryos with animal eggs.

Man has always been involved in a battle against death and disease. Since time immemorial, human beings have always made it a point to discover cures to various types of diseases that have made them suffer. Surprisingly supplements like vitamins for calcium have helped alleviate many issues. As they did so, various levels of successes have been achieved in the process. There may have been breakthroughs; solutions to the most dangerous medical conditions were found. However, as solutions were established for problems, new ones keep arising. This is the reason why scientists nowadays, especially those concentrating in the field of medicine have made it a point to persevere in their stem cell research endeavors.

Unfortunately, not everyone is pleased with stem cell research. There are many who think that this effort would ultimately lead to anomalies that would trigger radical changes in the human physiological set up. Others are more conservative in their outlook regarding this kind of research. They believe that this is an intervention on something that has already been designed by divine will. Therefore, they are also quick to conclude that manipulating stem cells is basically against the order that is established by a supreme being. This naturally means that the research is definitely sinful. Such views definitely made the research on stem cells very controversial.

But why should there be a controversy when stem cell research is actually very beneficial to people. It is through this research that the core causes of diseases are identified and even addressed in the most effective manner. This means that man no longer has to suffer various types of diseases; including those that are otherwise considered as incurable, such as cancer. In fact, it is the battle against cancer that has brought about the inspiration in pursuing leads that could lead to positive results in stem cell research. Apparently, in the medical sense, there is actually no reason why this endeavor should be considered as controversial.

It may be true though that there is indeed some manipulation that is being done in man’s genetic and cellular makeup. However, people must also remember that medications are not much different to this so-called manipulation. When a doctor requires a patient to take steroids, this is going against the natural processes of healing. When certain bacteria or viruses are injected or infused into a human’s system in order to combat the more harmful ones, this too is clearly an invasion of the natural system. As long as it is meant for the good of man, particularly his health, stem cell research should be encouraged.

Unfortunately, it would take time before people would find out how beneficial stem cell research is. As soon as many people would realize that therapy through stem cell manipulation works, even in the most serious diseases then that would be time that such controversial issues against it would be invalidated. This is a fact that has to be accepted by those who are taking pains working on the research. It is just fortunate that there are already signs that this would surely succeed in the near future.

The controversy behind stem cell research dates back more than a decade ago or when then President George W. Bush had to decide whether the federal government will continue funding research on human stem cells.

Though private funding from organizations and individuals continue even if government support stops a federal budget that will continue research on stem cells and its effects to extending the life of a sick person still needs a considerable amount of funding assistance.

Other key issues highlighting the controversy is the moral and ethical issue attached to it. Pro-life advocates continue to oppose such program because it is anti-life. But to those who have degenerative disease and ailments like Parkinson’s disease, constant headaches everyday, Alzheimer’s disease and muscular dystrophy, the breakthrough’s in stem cell research is a matter of survival for them.

Stem cell research actually started in 1998 in a study which reported that stem cells could be taken from human embryos. This later led to a study on undifferentiated stem cell lines or pluripotent cells and techniques differentiating them into cells specific to various tissues and organs.

But the ethical debate about this breakthrough in science proved to be more lengthy and ongoing. Despite Pres. Obama’s lifting the Bush administration’s restrictions on federally financed human embryonic stem cell research, the question remains whether taxpayer’s money should be used to finance the research.

The Dickey-Wicker amendment of 1996 specifically bans the use of tax money to create human embryos (which is a normal practice in private fertility clinics), or for research in which embryos are destroyed, discarded or intentionally subjected to risk of injury.

In August 2010, District Judge Royce C. Lamberth issued a preliminary injunction that prohibits the National Institutes of Health from funding the research under Obama’s new guidelines. The court decision shelves back the main issue on stem cell research back to square one.

A human embryo contains the highest level of viable stem cells. Harvesting enough embryonic stem cells for research and treatment purposes means the destruction of human embryos. Pro-life proponents say this is immoral. The religious group says life begins at conception so the blasting of embryos will be a moral equivalent to murdering a child.

But what exactly are the advantages of stem cell research and how does humanity deal with this ethical issue?

Proponents point out that stem cell treatment can help cure diabetes. Some also think that stem cells can cure cancer and even good for cosmetic surgery aside from what was mentioned earlier. Yet all these are still waiting to be proven true. Scientists say stems cells are undifferentiated and thus they can prompt it into becoming whatever type of cell is needed. The cells can also replace damaged or sick cells in a patient with an injury or degenerative disease.

But with the issue on human embryo, scientists experimented on other ways outside the human embryo and tested the adult stem cells. The experiment didn’t give much success as adult cells don’t seem to grow or replicate themselves as quickly as their younger counterparts.

Eventually, the debate will now go back to what is morally and ethically right or wrong. But one thing is sure, science will continue to search for answers. And the debate behind the stem cell research will still continue.

Arguments Against Stem Cell Research discusses the various reasons why people are opposed to harvesting stem cells for potentially great cures, and many of them are pro-life issues. We will discuss the more common reasons and arguments in this post.

Embryonic stem cell harvesting is murder. Many pro-lifers wield this argument because they reason that an embryo dies every time its stem cells are harvested for research (since most of the embryo is made up of stem cells). The thing is, most of the embryo are grown artificially, so there really is no murder in as much as the embyro aren’t really given the chance to live. And as exobiologist Carl Sagan defined it, human life begins when a fetus turns 6 months old.

Adult stem cell harvesting can cause a lot of harm. Surprisingly, there is little to no opposition as far as adult stem cell harvesting goes. But those who are aware of its possibilities argue about how expensive and painful the procedure is. This is true, of course. The reason why embryonic stem cells are preferred over adult stem cells are because of these very arguments. Human embryos cannot feel pain unlike human adults. Surgically removing stem cells from humans will entail a lot of pain and can be potentially damaging. Another option, which is cord blood cell harvesting, is also quite painful, and can only address certain illnesses like cancer and blood disorders. Procedures like these for adults are only considered during emergency cases, when stem cell matches within a family are required.

Stem cell research will give way to human cloning. Scenarios worthy only of sci-fi movies and literature are now becoming real threats to humanity and those who have ethical issues against it. In 2007, a sheep named Dolly was cloned. While this gave many a chance to marvel at the wonders of science, again, many questioned the direction science was going. Who is going to be cloned next, humans? Reproduction as we have come to know it would be threatened and then totally become obsolete, as sperm cells will no longer be part of the process.

The sinister link of stem cell research and cloning was reinforced by a 2004 news that a South Korean scientist named Hwang Woo-suk managed to clone around eleven embryos so he and his research team can extract stem cells from them. However, investigations done by panelists of the Seoul National University revealed that he had done no such thing.

To date, there have been no reports of any successful human cloning.

Stem cell research is certainly controversial. In fact, the government turned down funding for it during President Bush’s time. Many who recognize the impact of stem cell research and therapy of course opposed this restriction, citing that it hindered significant medical progress.

What are the real reasons people are against stem cell research? The answers vary. Some cry “abortion” because in the process of harvesting embryonic stem cells for various medical purposes (one of them is for body parts to regrow), fertilized human eggs are destroyed. The bottom line for conservatives is that stem cell research kills human life.

In stark contrast to embryonic eggs being harvested for stem cells, using adult stem cells for research and development hardly has any opposition. There is funding for adult stem cell research, though there are very little resources to harvest in the first place (and the procedure is said to be very painful). At least for the moment, adult stem cells cannot be utilized…and a long list of patients waiting to be rehabilitated by stem cell remedy have to gather more patience.

Many question stem cell research because of moral issues. However, morality becomes blurred when one takes into consideration that aborting embryos has already been legalized in the country. This makes the entire issue ethically and morally ambiguous.

Still others argue about the astronomical cost of stem cell research and development. While stem cell research promises to cure many degenerative and deadly diseases, a lot of medical practitioners think that funding for cancer research and other “established” illnesses would be more beneficial and useful. Focusing on the “now” instead of the “tomorrow” seems a better option for many who are against harvesting stem cells.

Yet another controversy has reared its head recently, with several parties voicing out that, should stem cell research be approved, funded, and go into full swing, people might start charging for their stem cells in pretty much the same way organ donors buy body parts. Again, this can be addressed with the argument that eggs removed from the body will not cause as much harm as, say, a kidney. Cells regenerate: that’s what they do.

The bottom line of stem cell research controversies is that people will always find a way to oppose it, regardless of its potential and obvious benefits. While it is laudable to cite reasons (ethical, moral, and others that hopefully grounded in logic), it is also important to keep an open mind and eye about the bigger implications which scientific research like this can bring to humanity.

In the previous post, the acceptance of stem cell research and treatment was illustrated with beloved pets becoming healthier and living better lives because of it. Veterinary medicine is just one example of the influences of stem cell research in modern society. In today’s post, we will take a look at the other current breakthroughs affecting other aspects of life.

One very important piece of news centers around a  new stem cell found in the brain. Swedish researchers recently discovered a new stem cell in the adult brain which can multiply to form other kinds of cells, including brain cells!

What these newly-discovered stem cells can do is help heal certain brain diseases and injuries when properly developed in stem cell labs. As Patrik Brundin, M.D., Ph.D., Jay Van Andel Endowed Chair in Parkinson’s Research at Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), Head of the Neuronal Survival Unit at Lund University and senior author of the study, tells it:

“A similar cell type has been identified in several other organs where it can promote regeneration of muscle, bone, cartilage and adipose tissue.”

 

Another exciting possibility presents itself with the discovery of some scientists at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) in Singapore. They found out that neural stem cells can actually target tumour cells outside the central nervous system.

What does this mean for cancer patients? Plenty.

IBN Group Leader, Dr. Shu Wang describes the potential effects of these neural stem cells after several lab experiments thusly:

“We have demonstrated that tumour-targeting neural stem cells may be derived from human iPS cells, and that these cells may be used in combination with a therapeutic gene to cripple tumour growth. This is a significant finding for stem cell-based cancer therapy, and we will continue to improve and optimize our neural stem cell system by preventing any unwanted activation of the therapeutic gene in non-tumour regions and minimizing possible side effects.”

 

In a nutshell, stem cell research has yielded many exciting health possibilities in recent times, and should only be encouraged in order to give hope for a healthier, more fruitful life for everyone.

In this video, a dog named Ariel is shown a week after receiving stem cell treatment on her hips and knee. In an interview with her owner, it was revealed that Ariel showed an almost miraculous recovery from her debilitating ligament injury and arthritis. Whereas before the operation, she walked with a limp and had a painful gait, the Ariel of post-stem cell treatment became noticeably more alert, active, and even a bit mischievous (her owner claims Ariel stole another dog’s bowl).

Many people thought Ariel was just a “lazy” dog because she didn’t move around much. It turns out that she had congenital joint malformations. This was significantly treated by stem cell therapy since the new cells actually generate the needed articular cartilage. And now, it is like she’s given a new and healthier lease in life.

Another video about how stem cell treatment can help arthritic dogs shows how Stem Cell Therapy Helps Dog Recover.

Jake, a yellow Labrador, can hardly walk for his severe canine arthritis. His owners agreed to have him go through stem cell procedure to help him, and the vet, Dr. Les Pelfrey at Stanley Veterinary Clinic, is glad to report that Jake is responding very well to the treatment. In an interview, the doctor says:

Before, on a slick surface, he was very reluctant to move around or get up because of the pain. He was afraid he would slip and hurt himself, and now he hops right up and moves about and goes on walks. His quality of life has increased dramatically.

When he is totally weaned off his pain medication, Jake is encouraged to be more active and frisky, as retrievers are expected to be. Since Jake’s successful treatment, Dr. Pelfrey and his staff had done half a dozen more stem cell procedures on other dogs, giving hope to arthritic dogs and their concerned owners that they could have better, happier, pain-free lives.

Allow us commence when using the essentials. Stem cells are manufactured inside the bone marrow of our bodies. They may have the exceptional capability to build into numerous mobile styles. Serving like a type of fix model for that entire body, they could theoretically divide with no restrict to replenish other cells. Whenever a stem mobile divides, each individual new mobile has the possible to both continue being a stem mobile or turn out to be an alternate style of mobile accompanied by a further specialised perform, like a muscle mass mobile or perhaps red blood mobile. Stem cells possess the capability to regenerate another mobile around the system. As a result a stem mobile can develop into a neuron, a liver mobile, a mind mobile, a fingernail mobile, or every other mobile that should get replaced or fixed.

Seeing that modern development may be crafted with the vicinity of obviously raising the creation of stem cells while in the human physique, scientists mistakenly feel that the injection or even the synthetic implies of rising the stem mobile rely in a very particular person may be the pathway to healing illnesses. This line of experimentation has by now revealed to get a immediate path to catastrophe. Implanting stem cells in laboratory animals has designed malignant tumors and has or else led to assorted counterproductive results starting from sluggish and high priced to deadly. There may be no substitute for that body’s pure creation of stem cells. This method appears to have been created in excess of eons instead of the a short time ago produced arrogance and stupidity of our assumed procedures that feel this marvel of human physiological engineering tends to be reproduced in the laboratory.

Our new comprehension of how stimulating the improvement of bone marrow stem cells, that have the capability to produce into any mobile your body wants,
has delivered us which includes a scientific comprehension of the amount of varying parts on the human system can certainly be taken care of and fixed whereby our earlier understanding of like amazing benefits have been believed to not be likely.

Restorations in these kinds of crucial and complicated parts as mind functionality with dietary supplementation since the catalyst is really an great discovery. Just imagine, should you will that individuals which have experienced the decline of mind and central stressed program operate as a consequence of strokes, trauma or neurodegenerative diseases can mend and get back missing talents that beforehand doctors and researchers experienced viewed as everlasting and irreversible. Which is the magic from the accurately supported human device.

Around the web:

SeraCare Expands the AccuCell Line with Human Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells. San Francisco Chronicle press release High viability cell lines for use in stem cell research drug discovery vaccine manufacture production of cell-based products and instrumentation and cell production translation separation or expansion services. Milford Mass PRWEB April 10 and more.…

SeraCare Expands the AccuCell Line with Human Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells San Francisco Chronicle press release