Stem Cell Research Controversy: Argumentative Essay

The advancement in technology has lead to the treatment of many diseases. Stem cell research has provided hope and has brought optimism among the scientists and doctors in curing the patients who suffered or died due to the once called “untreatable” diseases decades ago. Stem cells are the ones which can develop into any type of a body cell including the cells of blood, liver, brain, muscles, and many more. They are found in adult bone marrow, embryos, fetuses, and blood from the umbilical cord (Bailey 100). Stem cell research is the latest advancement in biotechnology which shows how an organism develops from a single cell and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms. This technique has lead scientists to research about the possibility of cell-based therapies to treat disease, which is often referred to as regenerative or reparative medicine.

The stem cell formation involves several steps. Early in development, a human embryo is made up of a hollow ball of cells called a “blastocyst”. Blastocyst cells divide and form into the tissues and organs of a human body. This process is called as “differentiation”. Embryonic stem cells can be grown in the laboratory from blastocysts and made to differentiate into nerve, liver, muscle, blood, and other cells. Scientists believe that this would help to replace cells in diseased organs in human beings. Embryonic stem cells can also be used to test the effects of new drugs without harming animals or people. It is a life changing technique and should be allowed, however, some opponents claim it to be immoral. The opponents claim that since the cells come from embryo, therefore they are alive and extracting these cells means the death of a living organism which is immoral (Ojeda 113).

Stem cell research can have a significant impact on regenerative medicine and therapeutic cloning. Regenerative medicine involves the use of stems cells for the growth, either in the test tube in the laboratory or in a human body, for consecutive transplantation. The tissue or organ parts can repair or replace those damaged by abnormalities, aging, disease or injury (Johnson 130). While, therapeutic cloning is a procedure in which cells are taken from a patient (often from skin) and inserted into a fertilized egg whose nucleus has been removed. The resulting cell is stimulated to divide repeatedly to form a blastocyst. Stem cells are then taken out from it and used to grow tissues that are a perfect genetic match for the patient (Bailey 105). These cells can be transplanted in the patients to cure the disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease.

Scientists have always been curious about the origin of humans and their evolution. The stem cell research has provided an opportunity to them in a way that they would be able to study human growth and the development of cells in our body with. Stem cells are classified as being pluripotent or multipotent. Stem cells that are pluripotent are capable of forming almost all of the possible tissue types found in human beings. These cells can only be found in a certain stage (a blastocyst) in human embryos (Deem). Multipotent stem cells are partially differentiated, so that they can form a limited number of tissue types. Multipotent stem cells can be found in the fetus, in umbilical cord blood, and many adult tissues. The use of adult stem cells, from blood, skin and other tissues, has been verified to be effective for treating different diseases in animals. Umbilical-cord-derived stem cells have also been isolated and used for various experimental treatments (NIH website).

Stem cells provide a great prospective for finding the cure to a variety of diseases including cancers, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and more. In relation to heart diseases, the research shows that the ability of a human body to respond to a distress signal may be very successful in the regenerative medicine. The stem cells react to the signals given by the sensor called “kinin receptor.” They move to the target tissue and occupy it and help in healing. In heart attack patients, it was found that a share number of circulating stem cells were able to sense and respond the kinin receptor. These stem cells are then extracted and produced in large numbers and then injected in to the patients with heart diseases for their treatment (Sykes, Nikolic 435).

Nowadays, stem cells are regenerated as neurons and help in the treatment of spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease which may lead to the paralysis of a patient or can be fatal. Research has shown significant results in the curing the patients with anemia and the diseases that prevent blood clotting and other blood related diseases such as leukemia, and lymphoma. The human body depends on the cells called the platelets for the blood clotting. Some patients lack them in their body due to their genetics or if they are anemic. The stem cells are regenerated as platelets and injected into these patients to cure such diseases that prevent the blood clotting (Breakthrough Digest).

The issue provokes every mind that should we help those desperate patients who suffer from deadly diseases or should we just ignore it just because it is immoral. There are a lot of other issues in the society that are immoral such as abortion or gay marriage or having pre-marital sex but the society apt to accept them. Then why not the stem cell research that has an enormous impact and hope in the lives of the patients suffering from the various fatal illnesses.

Although there are some complications in stem cell research, it has the potential for curing incurable diseases, research in cloning and cell development. Hence, it should not only be allowed but should be provided with funds so that it can save millions of lives in America and around the world. The celebrities like Christopher Reeve who was paralyzed after falling from a horse and getting a spinal cord injury, Michael J. Fox who has Parkinson’s disease and former first lady Nancy Reagan whose husband Ronald Reagan, former president of the USA, had Alzheimer’s disease, had untiringly campaigned and increased funds for promoting the stem cell research. (Kennard)Work Cited:· Bailey, Ronald. Liberation biology: The scientific and moral case for the biotech revolution (2005).

· Deem, Rich. What is wrong with Embryonic Stem Cell Research? .

· Jonsen, Albert R. Bioethics beyond the headlines: who lives? Who dies? Who decides? (2005)· Kennard, Christine. Stem Cell Research Information. 21 Jul 2006. http://alzheimers.about.com/od/research/a/stem_cell.htm?p=1>.

· Key Advance In Treating Spinal Cord Injuries Found In Manipulating Stem Cells. .

· Ojeda, Auriana. Technology and society: Opposing view points.

· Stem cells for better blood clotting. < http://www.breakthroughdigest.com/stem-cell-research/stem-cells-for-better-blood-clotting/>.

· Stem cell Information. National Institute of Health. 24 November 2008 · Sykes, Megan. Nikolic, Boris. Stem cell therapies for heart disease – 1 step closer. Nature 435, 620-627 (2 June 2005)