Benefits of Stem Cell Research
These enigmatic cells hold information that many scientists have yet to comprehend, yet with time and research can revolutionize the medical world as it is currently known. One of the primary goals is to research embryonic stem cells in order that scientists may have a greater understanding of the intricate events that occur during human development. Through this, researchers may be able to more greatly understand how an uncharacterized stem cell can become a specific cell of a tissue or an organ. During cell differentiation and division abnormalities can occur, and resulting from these abnormalities are some of the more serious medical conditions we encounter, such as cancer and birth defects. By studying the growth of embryonic stem cells more closely, scientists can better understand how conditions such as these occur and find new types of treatment and therapy. However one of the more practical applications to come out of stem cell research is the use of cell-based therapies. Cell-based therapy is based off of the idea of taking stem cells and using them to regenerate ailing tissues and organs rather than replacing them with a donor organ. Since adult stem cells are the internal repair system of the body’s tissues and organs, it is believed that if these stem cells are re-programmed to differentiate to whatever specific type of cell is needed, it can repair and treat certain diseases such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injury, and much more. The possibilities are seemingly endless. However with these possibilities comes a heated debate on the moral and ethical standpoint of stem cell research, specifically research using embryonic stem cells.