What do you know about Stem Cell research?

Answer 1

There is a huge debate about stem cell research right now, as I'm sure everyone knows. Stem cells are cells in your body that are able to duplicate and become the types that are damaged. For this reason they are extremely versatile in healing dead or dieing tissue and may be a key in the future to solving diseases such as Parkinsons.

Stem cells are in everyones body, however about 6 weeks after conception stem cells begin to differentiate (that is they are no longer capable of being any cell in the body). These cells are known as toti potent cells or EMBRYONIC stem cells (because a collection of them has potential to mature into a fetus). These are seen to have more potential as they are capable of becoming litterally any human cell. The controversy arrises in the fact that to obtain these cells one must remove the blastula surrounding them destroying the potential for maturation. Adult stem cells (ones that have been differentiated) are thought of as insignificant as they can only become one particular cell type. However due to the huge chance of error when harvesting embryonic cells, they have been much less successful than adult stem cells.

Some one brought up parkinson's disease. This is caused by a specific neuron group deteriorating in the substantia nigra. These neurons are known as DA neurons and adult stem cells have been shown to be able to repair these cells. It is my personal belief that we must exhaust adult stem cells before resorting to taking lives for the progress of science, but you are allowed to make up your own mind and many have made the case that life has not yet been established. Please do not allow my oppionions to interfere with the factual information provided. I left out a lot of details feel free to IM or something.

Answer 2

Well, my wife is diabetic, and she has been since she was 7. She is insulin dependant, and must take multiple shots a day and test her blood/sugar level. Diabetes can be cured with the help of stem cells. Studies have shown that when stem cells are introduced to the pancreas(the organ in the body where insulin is made to help regulate blood/sugar), the pancreas heals itself and starts producing insulin again. This procuedure is not just healed by stem cells but they play a major role in it. Doctors have discovered the pancreas gives off a chemical that the brain also gives off. White blood cells get confused and start attacking the pancreas. They have developed a vaccine for this attack, and combined with the stem cells, could eliminate diabetes for good.


Also let me add that diabetes, if you do not know what it is, is a disease where the pancreas can not make insulin. Insulin is necessary to help regulate you blood/sugar levels. If you are diabetic and eat a sandwich, the carbs break down into sugars and your blood/sugar skyrockets becasue there is no insulin to break the sugar down. If your sugar goes to high it results in diabetic coma/death. Now the insulin helps drop sugar levels. Being that stress/hormones and other factors also play into thisif the sugar goes too low it will result in diabetic coma/death.

This not a pleasent way to live with needles, injections, poking, tubes, constantly throughout the day. Stem cells will help wipe this desease off the map.

Answer 3

First of all let me say that I think thereytrain's and animator's answers were awesome. This is another one of hard subjects because of emotions involved. I would love to see these diseases be gone so people are not suffering from them anymore. Including in my own family I have seen a lot of it as my work has been in the caring for people field. If we can do it without destroying life then I'm 100% for it. I don't think it's a case of science going too far. On that attitude we could apply that to a lot of things done today. However as a Christian I worry that it could be abused if not closely watched. I think this to save lives and suffering is a great thing to help people if we can make sure it doesn't go too far. I feel the same on cloning for childless couples as long as it's carefully watched. We can do amazing things today but the main thing is not to let science go beyond what we can morally handle.

Answer 4

Right off the top of my head........I know that medical researchers claim that stem cells hold the answer to many incurable immune system disorders and hormonal disorders. I know that there are thousands of embryos sitting in cold storage that they want to use but the government won't let them. It seems like such a waste.

Answer 5

Abortion might want to be criminal besides the undeniable fact that that is incorrect and evil and outright homicide to an innocuous unborn infant. imagine about it that kid will by no potential see sunlight hours or giggle or holiday a motorbike or savour having pals or know the affection of a figure. This unborn infant will by no potential know the failings that we take with out any interest in our primary lifes. Plus that kid is torn to products in the course of the abortion it truly is between the strategies it truly is killed ripped limb from limb. So for this reason i imagine stem cellular study is misguided also. regardless of each little thing you've already brought concerning the unborn infant a lot misery and soreness and brought that is existence from it so a minimum of go away their unfavorable bodies on my own. Abortion and Stem cellular study are merely yet another one in each of mankind's vile and harsh and evil issues. I pray that God may have mercy on all of those that get abortions and characteristic had abortions. i'm satisfied that those unfavorable toddlers will stay with him and heaven continually. i'd no longer make it there myself who's prevalent with yet a minimum of they could. merely so that you know no infant is an coincidence all of them come the following with a purpose yet some by no potential have the prospect to fulfill there purpose via cruelty of mankind. sometime that is going to come to bypass that we are able to might want to account for the failings we've finished and on condition that we are fairly sorry and regretful for those issues can we be forgiven. i know that there are some who will see this otherwise than me at the same time with atheist and folk of non-christian or perhaps some christian religions besides the undeniable fact that it truly is advantageous contained in the suited of time it may come to bypass that what i trust is misguided yet i do not care because i'm satisfied for now. properly there you've my opinion.

Answer 6

well i know stem cells can apparently be used to help treat Parkinson's? or Alzheimer's . i think they can be taken from an umbilical cord at birth and kept . or cultered or something . .i'm not sure how it works though . this is just what i can remember though, it probably isn't correct

Answer 7

Saved my cousins life after 11 years of cancer thats what it does

Answer 8

I only kno that Bush cant make up his freakin mind.

Answer 9

not as much as I'd like too, thanks to our president.