Stem Cells

The dreams of the future are here today. Years ago bioengineering, and the ability to recreate individual cells in the body was science fiction. Today that fiction is now a reality. The reality of this branch of science is riddled with controversy. The stem cell researchers have heard it all, as well as the other side. It’s the scientist verses the religious right. Now not everybody falls into either of these groups, they are just the extremes. Most people fall in the middle of this argument. What is stem cell research? What good could come from it? Are scientists just trying to play God? Stem cell research is controversial topic and one that takes knowledge to help understand.

The positives of stem cell research are far-reaching and all encompassing. Stem cell research can help cure many of the diseases that are currently incurable. There have been cases where stem cells have helped fight cancer, and succeeded. There have been cases where stem cells have helped in other medical problems as well; this is due to the nature of stem cells. Stem cells are the basic building blocks of the body. Every cell in a person’s body started out as stem cell. So the stem cell can be turned into any cell the body needs. Because the cells can be any cell the body makes and/or needs, they can also be used to help degenerative diseases. Scientist can now recreate the basic building blocks of human life. Imagine giving a patient back his or her quality of life. Imagine being able to prevent cancer, and possibly even cure it.

What are stem cells? Stem cells are the basic building blocks of the human body, all the cells that are in the body started out as stem cells. These cells are created at fertilization. The fetus then uses these cells to start making the rest of the body. The organs, the bones, the brain, they all started out as stem cells. It is for this reason that scientist hope to harness that creative process to help others. The stem cells can become any cell that the body needs. The scientists place some stem cells in the kidney, and they would become kidney cells. If stem cells are placed in the brain, they become brain cells, the heart, heart cells, and the bones, bone cells. The stem cells also have a remarkable regenerative quality. They can help to fix and re-grow cells and organs in the body. It is this regenerative quality that many scientists believe will help with the recovery and cure of many of the degenerative diseases. One’s like Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s are just two examples, but they affect thousands of people. Scientists and doctors will theoretically be able to insert stem cells in to the brain. The stem cells will then grow and regenerate the brain cells. Thus giving the patient a new lease on life. The body will be able to rebuild itself. There are other degenerative diseases as well. The implication for the research is really all encompassing.

Another positive is that stem cells can help with paralyzed victims. This has been proven to work in mice. Mice, who were unable to walk, were injected with human stem cells. The majority of them regained their lost mobility. This is one of the best arguments for the funding and development of stem cell research. The impact of this one aspect alone could improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Imagine giving the gift of mobility back to a soldier who was wounded in combat. Imagine helping a child to be able to run and play, maybe even for the first time. Those images are not as far away as you might think. These are the images that drive the proponents of stem cell research. Doctors and scientists are at the forefront of this debate, because they really do want to help others and helping others has always had a cost. But some believe that this time the cost is too great.

Those opposed to the idea of stem cell research have their reasons as well. The first is what must be done in order to get stem cells. The stem cells are formed after fertilization. If science is to use them, they must be “harvested” from the fetus. The fertilized egg is the beginning of life for many people. So the scientists must kill the fetus. The fetus cannot survive without stem cells. They say, “Who are we to decide to dies?” They ask what right takes the life of an unborn fetus. This cost is too much and too high for them to accept. The right to lifers say that is not up to us, only God can take a life. But what they fail to get is that the number of already “harvested” stem cells is a lot. There are plenty to go ahead and do some research without having to take any more for many years, at least. So if the stem cells are already here, and we do not need more right now. Why not go ahead do some research, at least to stay up with the rest of the world.

Are people trying to play God? There are those who believe that this is the realm of God, and as humans we have no right to be here. The idea that science is treading on God’s territory has been around since the beginning of time. The belief that God is the sole creator of life and judge of who lives and who dies. Scientists are working to create guidelines and rules for the use and implementation of the stem cell research. They do understand the implications of their work and will do what needs to be done in order to insure that it is good, and for good.