Pros and Cons of Stem Cell Research | Adult Cells

As I’ve been going around reading articles about stem cells I’m starting to get annoyed at all of the negative sentiments for politicians who don’t grant money for embryonic stem cell research. These sites pretend as if embryonic stem cells have a thousand times the promise as adult stem cells and that is just the governor, or the president who is opposed. What might surprise them is that all of their assumptions aren’t completely accurate. So, here are the two most common things that we hear about the Pros and Cons of Stem Cell Research, (In this case always on the Pros of Stem Cell Research) That aren’t true.

The first myth is that embryonic stem cell research carries significantly more promise than adult stem cells. That could not be more exaggerated. True, I will admit that it does have promise, but I wouldn’t say anymore that Adult Stem Cells. As I have said in countless other blogs, Adult Stem Cells are shocking scientists who are ecstatic about their new found abilities. These cites often disregard recent research about stem cells derived from amniotic fluid saying that it is “new and unproven.” Hello, we’re talking about research. If it’s not new and unproven then it’s not real research, it’s just a waste of money. Embryonic Stem Cells are also unproven, after-all, no successful treatments have been performed on humans with these cells, but there have been almost a hundred for adult stem cells. I agree that Embryonic Stem Cells likely have potential, but not a lot more.

And secondly, that Politicians who oppose Stem Cell Research are the only people who oppose it, and by maintaining their ridiculous stance they are killing people. Come on!!!! In most cases, these politicians were voted in by people who wouldn’t support embryonic stem cell research. If it was really that small of a minority don’t elect them. Simple as that. But in reality, while I won’t say an overwhelming majority of American’s agree with them, I do think it would be a mistake to refer to it as a big minority. Research, by nature is also a guess on what will work. A lot of great findings have been found from research that some didn’t think would go anywhere, and there have been a lot of studies that show a lot of potential that yielded no results. In fact, a lot of research really goes to those who show the best potential, that is really all we can analyze. I think that the Pros Side of the Pros and Cons of Stem Cell Research needs to settle down and stop reverting to name calling to try to make their point.

Pros and Cons of Stem Cell Research

Can Embryonic Stem Cells help repair damaged nerve cells? In an article that I read here I found that a company, Geron Corp. published that they have successfully made a big breakthrough in the Pros and Cons of Stem Cell Research. They say that they used Stem Cell Research to produce several “nerve growth factors.” These Nerve growth factors are proteins which stimulate the survival and regeneration of neurons. Obviously, by regenerating neurons you are repairing damaged nerve cells.

It is definitely and interesting update in the Pros and Cons of Stem Cell Research.
Now, the company’s researchers said, they had shown the cells produce multiple nerve growth factors, which are proteins that stimulate the survival and regeneration of neurons.

I thought it was really cool when they could get stem cells from umbilical cord blood, but this is huge. Researchers from both Wake Forest University and Harvard University have discovered stem cells, more specifically embryonic stem cells, in amniotic fluid. As many of your might know, the debate over the pros and cons of stem cell research is less like a list, and really covers two issues.

1) Is the use of embryonic stem cells in research morally appropriate (many believe that destroying an embryo to obtain these stem cells is on par with abortion)

2) Do Adult Stem Cells really have the same potential for developments as Embryonic Stem Cells?

While you will talk with many people who disagree on both, could it be that this new find will completely get rid of the meat of the debate. Could it be that both Adult and Embryonic Stem Cells can be researched without these moral questions and we can really find out which hast the most potential?

Researchers are still not certain whether or not stem cells found in amniotic fluid have the same capabilities as the embryonic stem cells that we would normally think of. But, either way it is definitely an exciting idea.  This could affect heart disease, diabetes, (both types of diabetes) and other illnesses as well.

For more information read about it in the Washington Post.

In an article in the Washington Post that I read today, (if you look at the date, it’s kind of old news, but new to me) I learned that they can actually use skin cells to make embryonic stem cells. The difference might be that they just classify them as Adult Stem Cells now (I do know that they can use skin to obtain adult stem cells), but back then they called them embryonic stem cells.

Either way, it is amazing to me how they are able to obtain adult stem cells from so many different sources. It truly is impressive that we no longer need embryo’s or need to use bone marrow or something difficult to get stem cells. Instead we can use skin, hair follicles, and lot’s of different things to obtain stem cells. This truly is amazing.

Just another amazing find in the Pros and Cons of Stem Cell Research.