Monday, May 7, 2012

The Controversy of the Stem Cell

A wonderful primer on Stem Cell technology:


Uttering the words “stem cell” is unsettling to many sectors in today’s society. However, contrary to common belief, stem cells are produced in fully developed human bodies as well as the embryonic fetus. Stem cells reside in us all and have been used in medical treatments for years.
The existing controversy over stem cell use in medical science stifles current research efforts. Overcoming this hurdle begins with educating the uninformed about a specific type of stem cell.
The two broad categories are adult stem cells and the infamous embryonic stem cells (ES). Adult stem cells are a powerful cure to countless diseases and injuries, acquired safely from children and adults, and already utilized successfully in many countries.
Adult stem cells may be obtained from a living person’s bone marrow, fat cells, or umbilical chord blood. On the other hand, ES cells reside in the unborn embryo.
The controversy over stem cells arises over the acquirement of the ES cell. Until recently, ES stem cells could not be obtained without destroying an early human life.

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