The first article that I read stressed the point that the positive effects of stem cell research are higher than the negative effects. First it described what stem cells are and their importance. Stem cells are cells the are nonspecialized and are capable of creating other types of cells. For this reason, stem cells are crucial in the development and growth of a living organism. The article describes that stem cells are more prominent in embryos rather than in a full grown adult. Because embryonic stem cells have the capability to form other cells in the body, the have great potential. It is said in the article that embryonic stem cells could cure diseases. The article then goes on to explain the pros and cons of embryonic stem cell research's methods and usage of knowledge. The pros include the potential to cure diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, replace or repair damaged organs, fix birth defects, and reduce risk of transplantation. The cons include that we should not mess with human life, humans shouldn't be trying to play god, and that stem cell research will lead to cloning in the future. The article then goes on to a conclusion. In this conclusion, it explains why the debate is a heated one. It mentions that scientists were trying to measure life against life, which is impossible to measure. Both someone dying from a terrible disease and a women having an abortion is a tragedy. They are tragedies in which it's impossible to judge which one of them has the most importance, an aborted baby, or a person who dies of a disease that could have been cured. The article ends with stating that, " The Stem cell research-debate is an example on how people value various aspects differently. It is also an example of how critics and debate can lead to significant improvements for both sides.
This second article explains the difference between embryonic and adult stem cells on how they're used. Embryonic stem cells come from the inner mass of a developing blastocyst. Adult stem cells are taken from the tissue of an adult. They are usually derived from adult human blood located in the bone marrow. These adult stem cells are then re-infused back into the same donor. The article also mentions the use of cord blood stem cells. These stem cells are taken from the umbilical cord during or after the delivery of a baby. These stem cells are then capable of performing three function: Plasticity- potential to change into other cell types, Homing- The ability to travel to the site of tissue, cell, or organ damage, and Engraftment- to unite the other tissues and regenerate the damaged cells, tissue, or organ. The article then goes on to discuss transplant treatment procedures and that there is hope for the future of stem cell research.
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