Self Evaluation Post

Writing this blog helped me grow as a thinker as I researched and developed ideas about the ethical limitations on stem cell research. I was able to grasp a deeper understanding of the subject and was able to understand not only the controversy behind but also the effort to continue stem cell research.
Through the research I conducted I found several links that helped me grasp the bigger picture of how effective and important stem cell research could be for everyone. The breakthroughs that I read about that had occurred with HIV was mind blowing. I remember just a few years ago I was in a English class and we had just watched Philadelphia starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington I remember thinking how terrible it was that people would just die away and nothing could stop it from happening. Today this breakthrough is amazing scientists all but eradicated HIV from a person’s body. The work being done with Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis are just as amazing to me because, I am an aspiring doctor and as a child and even now TV shows such as House have always interested me and seeing people coming close to curing people with theses disease is amazing for me.
I have grown and learned so much from my blog project. I have been to do research on both sides of the argument and am slowly understanding the controversy on the topic. Much of what have I read on furthering the embryonic stem cell research effort, or people discussing the fact that the embryo’s still feel pain and therefore should not be used, helps me have a more well rounded view on the topic. There have been many breakthroughs done with cloned cells and tests run on rats and other animals that show so promise for the future. Through my blog I have come to form a more centralized opinion on the topic and have began to fully support the stem cell research effort.

Annotated Links Post

I believe that my links on HIV, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis are extremely interesting because they dive into the actually work that is being done with stem cells research on each of the individual disease. It also shows the work that has been produced from the experimentation that has been done with stem cell research. The links that I found on heart muscles, a heart pump and blood cells were also extremely interesting and almost fundamental to my over arching ideas I developed. Each of these links displayed the effort being done to perfect the use of stem cells to make sure it is safe to use on humans more frequently. These links also displayed the amazing achievements humans have been able to accomplish and discover. These six link together showed me how far we have come to helping millions of people who are sick and dying, and that is awe inspiring.

A New Push from the Government

President Obama lifted the eight-year-old ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, he believed in putting the weight of his office on the side of scientists who believe that stem cells have the potential to cure some of the world’s most harmful diseases. The Obama order reverses that without addressing a separate legislative ban, which precludes any federal money paying for the development of stem cell lines. The legislation, however, does not prevent funds for research on those lines created without federal funding. Obama acted more publicly Monday in moving to allow federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, fulfilling a campaign pledge on an issue that is popular with Democrats and divides Republicans. In signing the order and a second memo designed to wall off scientific research from political influences, Obama said a majority of Americans support lifting the federal funding ban, which would allow researchers to begin using hundreds of already-created embryonic stem cell lines for work on cures for cancer, heart disease, Parkinson's and other illnesses. Researchers say the newer lines created with private money during the period of the Bush ban are healthier and better suited to creating treatment for diseases. Embryonic stem cells are master cells that can morph into any cell of the body. Scientists hope to harness them so they can create replacement tissues to treat a variety of diseases - such as new insulin-producing cells for diabetics, cells that could help those with Parkinson's disease or maybe even Alzheimer's, or new nerve connections to restore movement after spinal injury.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101653356

A Brief History of Stem Cell Reserch

In the 1900s, researchers found that certain cells could even produce blood cells, and the thirst for extensive stem cell research was born. Stem research is conducted using both animal and human stem cells, and according to the National Institutes of Health originally centered around two types of stem cells, embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic "somatic" or "adult" stem cells. Early research focused on bone marrow transplants when researchers discovered that bone-marrow infused mouse blood could battle anemia and leukemia in the mice. The first real breakthrough in stem cell research occurred in the late1950s, human bone marrow transplants were attempted in France after a serious radiation accident. Experts says that large scale bone marrow transplant and stem cell research was not conducted until 1958 when French medical researcher Jean Dausset identified the first of many human histocompatibility antigens, or proteins found on the surface of most cells in the human body. These antigens determine what belongs in the human body and what does not, so learning to manipulate these antigens could mean the difference between the body destroying newly transplanted bone marrow or accepting it. The technology used in transplants has been slowly evolving and becoming more efficient. At first, transplants between twins with compatible antigens were the only successful option. In the 1960s, scientists had learned enough about compatibility to transplant between siblings who were not identical twins, and in 1973 after seven different attempts, doctors were able to perform a bone marrow transplant between two unrelated people. By the 1990s, stem cell research was expanding rapidly, and as organ transplant technology accelerated, so too did the realization that stem cells also may be helpful in regenerating certain tissues such as liver tissue, which might help repair organs damaged by disease.

http://www.allaboutpopularissues.org/history-of-stem-cell-research-faq.htm

Cloning

Cloning is a controversial topic in stem cell research, people believe that clones will be a 'carbon copy' of the original, but that’s not true. The reality is, cloning is an alternative way of creating an embryo, not a way of copying a fully developed organism. That embryo, once created, is just that: an embryo. Some people fear that 'mad scientists' will recreate such historical figures as Hitler and Stalin. While it is possible, if the scientist had adequate DNA from either man, for a scientist to create someone with matching DNA, the clone would not be the same 'person'--their consciousness would be entirely different than anyone they could have been cloned from.
Also consider the case of Rainbow and CC. CC, which stands for Carbon Copy, was the very first cloned cat. Although CC is an exact genetic copy of Rainbow, each cat has very distinct colorations on their coats. The reason for this is in the X chromosome, which contains a gene that helps determine fur colorations. Because they have the same X chromosomes, each cat has the same two coat color genes--one for black and one for orange. But early in Rainbow's life, each of her cells "turned off" either an entire black or orange color gene. This is called "X-inactivation", and is a very common occurrence in female cats. X-inactivation is how calico cats such as Rainbow develop their complex markings. The specific somatic cell that was used to create CC contained an active black color gene and an inactive orange color gene. As CC developed, her cells stayed exactly the same as that initial one. The result is CC's notable lack of any orange markings.

http://www.mun.ca/biology/scarr/Cloned_Cat.html

A set back for Research

Embryonic stem cell research offers a huge potential to cure a host of diseases including, yet not limited to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. President Bush cut federal funding for this research, thus the advancements that would have been possible did not take place and were not successful, or delayed because lack of money. Pluripotent stem cells, which is just another word for embryonic represent hope for millions of Americans. This research is still in its begining stages, and practical application will only be reached through additional study and research. Scientists need to understand the intricate inner workings of the human body, and to do so, they need resources such as excellent facilities, state of the art equipment, not to mention a large number of embryonic stem cell lines. Nancy Reagan, widow of former president Ronald Reagan gave a speech to congress concerning embryonic stem cell research. She said that there can be no forward advancement under Bush’s decision. Many scientists, patient advocacy groups, politicians and others say that stem cell research can never live up to its promise if the funding restriction is not lifted. Stem cell researchers and advocates for people who hope to benefit from the research say federal funding could speed the development of therapies and keep the United States at the forefront of a medical field it pioneered. Currently, funding for stem cell research is done privately, there were no federal funds to help further the research.

What are Stem Cells?

In my eager attempt to discuss the topic I did not think that some people may not know what stem cells are, so I would like to use this post to discuss what they are. A stem cell is essentially the building block of the human body. The stem cells inside an embryo will eventually give rise to every cell, organ and tissue in the fetus's body. Unlike a regular cell, which can only replicate to create more of its own kind of cell, a stem cell is pluripotent. When it divides, it can make any one of the 220 different cells in the human body. Stem cells also have the capability to self-renew -- they can reproduce themselves many times over.

There are two types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells come from an embryo -- the mass of cells in the earliest stage of human development that, if implanted in a woman's womb, will eventually grow into a fetus. When the embryo is between three and five days old, it contains stem cells, which are busily working to create the various organs and tissues that will make up the fetus.

Adults also have stem cells in the heart, brain, bone marrow, lungs and other organs. They are our built-in repair kits, regenerating cells damaged by disease, injury and everyday wear and tear. Adult stem cells were once believed to be more limited than stem cells, only giving rise to the same type of tissue from which they originated. But new research suggests that adult stem cells may have the potential to generate other types of cells, as well.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stem-cells/CA00081

The Arguement Against Stem Cell Research

Generally the people who are against stem cell research have a moral issue with it. Many believe that the use of embryonic stem cells, taken from aborted embryos is unethical, because they view the embryos just as they’d view fully developed human corpses. An embryo is actually a human; it should be valued as highly as a human life. Therefore, according to their beliefs, research using stem cells extracted from embryos left after abortions or other procedures is on par with research using dead bodies, when the people have not consented to the research. The main argument they have on their side is that stem cells can be taken from other places, including adults, without ‘hurting’ anyone or anything. The reasoning can be summed up by the fact that, once an egg is fertilized, unless inhibited, it will develop into a fully-developed adult. This opinion is often related to religious doctrines which assert that conception marks the beginning of human life or the presence of a soul. Based upon this reasoning, the subsequent argument against embryonic stem cell research is that human life is inherently valuable and should not be voluntarily destroyed. It has been argued that "the line at which an embryo becomes a human life remains as arbitrary as ever". Viability is another standard under which embryos and fetuses have been regarded as human lives. In the United States, the 1973 Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade concluded that viability determined the permissibility of abortions performed for reasons other than the protection of the woman's health, defining viability as the point at which a fetus is "potentially able to live outside the mother's womb, albeit with artificial aid." The point of viability was 24 to 28 weeks when the case was decided and has since moved to about 22 weeks due to advancement in medical technology.

http://www.tourolaw.edu/patch/Roe/

Analysis post

I’d like to discuss two main areas with this blog post, the scientific aspect of stem cells and divulge deeper into the moral and ethical dilemma attributed to it as well. In this I hope to develop a better understanding for the topic and present both sides of the respective argument. Religious and ethical values and the scientific values clash because of the perspective they are viewed from.
Many people dislike the idea of stem cell research based on moral and ethical ideals. There has been little doubt that stem cells cannot help the body, the main controversy has been where the stem cells are obtained from. The driving concern most people have about stem cell research is abortion. The topic of embryonic stem cell research has been looped in with abortions, which displays stem cell research in a negative light. Many groups of people strongly disagree with the idea obtaining stem cells from embryonic sources. Critics no longer dispute the usefulness of stem cells, but they do not wish to see an embryo die in the process of saving another person’s life. But what are embryonic stem cells? Embryonic stem cells are stem cells that are extracted directly from the embryo before the embryo’s cells begin to have a distinguish characteristics. These are blank cells that have yet to be assigned a purpose. One argument people make for no abortions is because some studies have shown that fetuses have display symptoms of extreme pain. Thus they argue that fetal pain distinguishes then as just as much a person as the person dying needing the transplant and so they reason that it is not right to take someone’s life to save someone else’s. Some even go so far to say that since there have been breakthroughs in non-embryonic stem cell research that embryonic stem cell research is a waste of time and is drive by greed.
Research is done day to day to help promote science and gain a better understanding of the world. Scientists work to discover the answers of mysteries that plague everyday life. Scientists are working hard to discover cures to various detrimental diseases such as, HIV, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and many more. The ground breaking research regarding stem cells has seen extraordinary results. Scientists may have found a way to completely cure people with these diseases. They have found that the stem cells from people who were resistant to the disease will transfer the genetic resistance to that disease. Break through research such as this, which is done with stem cells, has the potential to save millions and millions of lives. Stem cells can be an invaluable resource to all of mankind. The common myth that one is killing a human life to save another person using stem cell to help cure them is false. The majority of stem cell research today is done with adult stem cells which can be taken from any person or animal. There has been research done with stem cells with rats, and much progress has been shown from it. Scientists have been able to work on treatments for blindness in rats with the use of stem cells. After the ethical debate about abortions a few years ago, scientists discovered a new way to form stem cells.
Controversy about stem cell research has lead to tremendous success in the field. The ethical controversy and limitations that were provided when stem cell research was first starting inspired scientists to find a way around the ethical limitation to try and achieve their overall goal. Much has changed since the start of the research. Another concern with stem cell research is cloning. People dislike the idea of people being cloned by others. A lot of research has shown positive signs because of efforts in cloning. Scientists have been able to create exact replicas of many things within the body such as, heart muscles, a heart pump and blood cells. With continuous work on the subject, greater breakthroughs are possible. Scientists have been able to grow human blood vessels in lab mice. Great achievements have been made and even more are possible, stem cell research provides a positive light for the future of medical discovery.

Ethical Battle with Stem Cells

Scientific breakthrough has constantly clashed with ethical dilemma of the approach to experimental knowledge. The ethical clash helps scientist realize that what they are doing is controversial and to some people unquestionably wrong. The ethical reality in fact could serve as a guiding shield of sorts, helping the scientist realize that they must be extremely careful with the step they are taking to accomplish the breakthrough he or she is working towards. Scientists realize that they are in the public eye and are going to be held accountable for any and every little kink in their experiment, so they realize that they have to be vigilant. One breakthrough that is heavily debated in the public eye thus far is the issue of obtaining stem cells for further stem cell research. People have posed an ethical dilemma about stem cell research because a large amount of stem cell research could be found in dead fetuses. People are so touchy on the subject because stem cells and stem cell research for the most part gets lumped in with abortions, sin and evil. But the matter of fact is that stem cells may be found in dead fetuses, but they are also found in number of other sources as well; there is much research being done using rodents as sources for stem cells. The latest research with stem cells has shown that they have the healing capacity for extraordinary treatments. Up until now stem cells such as bone marrow were used for leukemia, but new research shows that stem cells can help repair nerve damage, help grow new appendages, and stem cells can create new organs. An article I read last year talked about stem cells’ ability to form a new organ that was identical to the original. The organ tissue was spilt and then stem cells were introduced to the partial organs, and the stem cells were able to repair and grow new organs. Stem cells could be the biggest breakthrough in medicine if scientist are able to harness there true potential.

Limiting Discovery

Breakthroughs of all kinds have occurred for many centuries and are continuing to occur today. With each new breakthrough or discovery people continue to push the boundaries of our knowledge and the ways in which the knowledge is obtained. Though I claim to be no expert on the matter, I would like to discuss the issue of ethical restraint on scientific breakthrough.
A basic definition of science says that it is the systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through gained through observation and experimentation. Science’s biggest breakthroughs have occurred during some sort of experimentation, whether it is random fluke or planed genius. Each breakthrough has helped many people, some by easing everyday labor, some by easing the troubled minds and others have helped people live longer and healthier lives. Each innovation is said to promote a better future.
Each innovation not only widens our knowledge on aspects of everyday life, but it also pushes ethical acceptability to the approach to gain that knowledge. Today stem-cell research has become a topic of heated debate among experts in opposing fields. The fact that many stem-cells can be obtained from dead fetuses has aroused heated controversy from the more religious groups, which claim that stem-cell research is ethically wrong. Scientific breakthrough is constantly faces the ethical question is the experiment pushing too far, is it right to pursue this new knowledge and at what costs. This blog is designed to discuss the ethical boundaries scientist face in order to pursue their quest for knowledge.