Why Embryonic Stem Cells Should Be Used In Scientific Research (Term Paper Sample)

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Why Embryonic Stem Cells Should Be Used In Scientific Research
Should research in scientific field be regulated? How then, will advanced technology and science play a part in helping people live better if scientific research was regulated? Stem cells have the ability to differentiate into different types of cells during growth an early life. Stem cells also play a vital role in acting as internal repair mechanism in replenishing worn out cells. Once stem cells divide, the resulting new cells have the ability to either become other types of cells or remain as stem cells. Stem cells are unique from other types of cells in the following ways (Mead et al 250). First, they are undifferentiated and therefore unspecialized. Second, they have the potential to become any cell type under physiological conditions. Stem cells are of two types: embryonic and adult (somatic) stem cells. The adult stem cells are obtained from adults and juveniles while embryonic stem cells are obtained from embryos that are five days old. Adult stem cells have the ability to differentiate into a limited number of cell types and are known as multipotent. On the other hand, embryonic stem cells have the ability to differentiate into virtually any type of cell and are known as pluripotent (Why Are Embryonic Stem Cells Important). Despite their ability to differentiate into any type of cells, research on embryonic stem cells has received criticism from individuals who argue that destruction of embryos is same as committing an actual murder of a human being. However, a logical argument is that since stem cells are removed when embryos are four to five days old, they are not human being but rather a group of cells. The European Commission (EU) carried a survey in 2010 in all EU member states for 15 years and found the following. 84% of the population supported embryonic stem cell from 50% in 2005 while 84% were in favor for research using non-embryonic stem cells such as adult and tissue stem cell. Another 67% were in favor of research involving human embryonic stem cell up from 41%. 50% of EU population doesn’t support elimination of human embryonic stem cells while 39% support a sanction on this research. Due to their potential to regenerate, embryonic stem cells have been used to treat diseases that were untreatable, in drug screening procedures and have been used in other several applications that have improved people’s lives (Grier 6). The thesis statement is that use of embryonic stem cells should be encouraged in scientific research since they are more superior when compared to adult stem cells, have the ability to treat a variety of diseases, and without using them, will increase wastage of stem cells and embryos. The use of stem cells from embryos in research will not only decrease in vitro embryo wastage but also it will help in treating a diversity of diseases as opposed to stem cells from adults because of the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells (Grier 7). Stem cells from embryos are superior to adult stem cells and therefore should be frequently used in scientific research studies. This is because embryonic stem cells are easily isolated and can grow well when cultured than adult stem cells (The Power of Stem Cells). Currently, there is no method that can be used to multiply the number of stem cells from adults in cultures. Scientists have also indicated that somatic stem cells have the likelihood of being rejected in transplant procedures. Another advantage of using embryonic stem cell is that they are plenty in embryos hence their extraction is easier (Whelan 20). However, extraction of stem cells from adult and juveniles is a problem since they contain scarce amount of stem cells. Lastly, therapies that use stem cells require large quantities of stem cells that can only be obtained from embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are also advantageous as they multiply faster since they are younger when compared to adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells have the ability to regenerate into any cell type whereas somatic stem cells can only differentiate into few cell types. Because of their limitation, adult stem cells have limited application. Embryonic stem cells show greater potential in the treatment of a diversity of diseases due to their regenerative ability (Gorba et al 340-344).
Embryonic stem cells show the promise of treating wide variety of disease. They can be used to treat damaged neurons. The treatment of damaged neurons can be used to treat neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Using embryonic stem cells, scientists have grown nerves cells that produce dopamine. This study has allowed scientists to study the genetic cause of this disease. Directing embryonic stem cells to make neurons that produce dopamine and transplanting them into patients, could treat Parkinson’s disease (Save Embryonic Stem Cell Research). The use of induced pluripotent stem cells technology can be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Using this technology, scientists have grown neurons and transplanted the grown neurons into the brain of patients with Alzheimer condition. In the brain, the neuron releases a beta amyloid protein to help in the study of the disease. Another research has shown that embryonic stem cells can be used to deliver neurotrophins protein into the brain to support the growing and survival of neurons (Harley &Mahendra 240).
Another use of embryonic stem cells is to treat retinal disease. The disease destroys epithelial cells of the retinal pigment leading to retinal pigment being partially destroyed. This partial destruction can lead to blindness. However, use of embryonic stem cells can successfully treat the condition. Transplanting procedure has lower risk rates for both the donor and the recipient. Retinal pigment is produced using embryonic stem cells and transplanting them into the patient. In cases where the retina is partly working, the transplant can improve the condition and also halt the loss of vision. In a certain transplant, a successful transplantation was carried on a woman who was suffering from macular degeneration disease due to old age (Kingwell 10). Her condition was treated completely using embryonic stem cells to develop retinal pigment. Instead of destroying embryos, stem cells obtained from the embryos were used to treat neurological conditions and retinal disease (Parkinson’s disease Fact Sheet).
The use of embryonic stem cells ensures that there is no wastage of existing lines of stem cells and embryos. The embryos used in research are purely donated by people who have more embryos from in vitro fertilization. In vitro fertilization comes as a result of some women being unable to get pregnant. They opt into in vitro fertilization that produces several embryos. Once the embryo of their own choice is implanted, the remaining embryos undergo freezing (Stem Cell Basics). Instead of destroying these extra embryos, they are donated for research where they are destroyed for a good purpose. Using existing embryonic stem cells, more research could be conducted so as to avoid wastage of stem cell lines. Embryonic stem cell lines are stem cells that are obtained from the same embryo by programming it to multiply endlessly to ensure continuous supply of stem cells of embryonic origin. This method is widely accepted because it doesn’t encourage embryo destruction. Scientists use the donated embryos and stem cell lines to isolate and grow embryonic stem cells that can be used to treat diseases (Embryonic Stem Cells).
In conclusion, the topic is important as it addresses issues surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells, their uses in disease treatment such as neurological and rheumatalogical diseases. Due to their regenerative potential, scientists are using embr...