Thread: Stem Cell Research

Originally Posted by _gwenibe_

^ But you don't have to clone a whole human to get the benefits of the research, it's possible to clone only the organs or the genes ( eliminating genetic diseases

I dont know where i stand with this. I think a lot of people have opinions about this issue before they do any research. Ive heard these cells can be taken from adults also, but are not as effective. gwenibe, Im glad that you have done some research on this matter. Am I right when I say that stem cell research from adults is different from a divided cell on its way to being an embryo (I know this phase has a name, maybe someone can let me know what it is)?

umm.. well i'm actually not sure. It definatly is different.

Adult cells have already differentiated into their specific cells. eg. skin cells, lung cells. So I think it's harder to do ( or even impossible?)

Where as stems cells haven't yet differentiated, so by using those cells we can then turn them into cells we need such as liver cells to grow a liver etc.

I didn't even know that there was a different name for the two, I'm only familier of stem cells research @_@

Grumble Grumble Grumble

The word your looking for is 'Fetal stem cells', which have the potential to turn into any kind of body tissue. Other types of stem cells are already specialized, and limited into the types of cells they can morph into. (As an example, bone marrow stem cells can only turn themselves into blood cells, white, red, or platlets...)

Now for the State of California Stem cell Research Initiative, the proposed source of 'Fetal' stem cells is to used left over embryos from the fertility clinic industry. These embryos (which aren't even close to a fetus, with undifferentiated cells) would normally be destroyed, because once a pregnancy has been established in a patient, it is no longer safe, nor practical to try further embryo implants. So is the use of these stem cells, cultured in a petri dish, flash frozen and never seen the inside of a mothers womb murder? (And if you do think it's murder, then why isn't pulling out a hair folicle, or trimming a ingrown toe nail murder as well...)

I don't see what the problem is here. Stem cell research can cure alot of diseases and all it's just using unfertilized embryos that people wouldn't use in the first place.

Anyway LOL @ Violent's ignorance.

first of i would like to know if the kill the unborn baby, or they use one thats already dead?
depending on that I would vote...
if they are using a dead one... why not.... it can save many more lifes in the futere.... as simple as that...

What baby what are you talking about dude?

Grumble Grumble Grumble

Originally Posted by jaam0927

first of i would like to know if the kill the unborn baby, or they use one thats already dead?
depending on that I would vote...
if they are using a dead one... why not.... it can save many more lifes in the futere.... as simple as that...

Why are you talking about babies??? The way fertility clinics produce embryos, is when the woman is ovulating, they pump her abdomen full of carbon dioxide, then through a incision made in the belly button, they insert a small fiber optics scope and a small vacume tube and harvest the egg. The man produces some sperm. Mix the two together in a test tube, and there's your embryo...

Originally Posted by Shodokan

I don't see what the problem is here. Stem cell research can cure alot of diseases and all it's just using unfertilized embryos that people wouldn't use in the first place.

Anyway LOL @ Violent's ignorance.

By definition, embryos ARE FERTILIZED. If they weren't, all you would have would be a non-replicating egg cell...