Chad Allen
Adam Sprague
English 101
4 December 2012
Opening New Doors
Two
legally blind women, one suffering from macular degeneration, the other
suffering from Stargardt’s macular dystrophy, each received 50,000 embryonic stem
cells implanted under the retina of one eye in July of 2011. Both patients
reported major improvements in sight. A scientific miracle. Embryonic stem
cells are cells derived from a human embryo. Embryonic stem cells are
interesting, because they are able to grow into different kinds of specialized
cells, which are able to perform many tasks throughout the human body. Because
these stem cells come from human embryos, there have been a myriad of ethical
issues surrounding the research. Such issues include the fact that scientists
should not be messing with human life, because every living embryonic cell has
the potential to become a baby. The debate about abortion is also a similarly
related topic to stem cell research. While there is much controversy
dealing with the ethics of embryonic stem cell research, there is an endless
potential for scientists to learn about cell development, and possibly find a
cure to many diseases affecting lives every day.
When thinking about embryonic stem cell research, it is
important to discuss the different arguments that surround it. One major point
about any type of stem cell research is that stem cells have the ever-existing
possibility to cure diseases and save lives. Another big positive to researching
embryonic stem cells is that they have the potential to change medicine
forever. Imagine a world where you could get a specific medicine for any
symptoms or disease you may have. The research of embryonic stem cells even has
the possibility to dig deeper into solving the problem of cancer, and possibly
finding solutions. Possibly even a cure. Just like Newton’s 3rd Law
of Physics, with every positive aspect surrounding an issue, there are always
negatives in return. One negative view about researching embryos in a lab is
the issue some people have with treating embryos as something in an experiment.
Several religious groups are very much against the misuse of a human embryo,
and they believe that human life should not be messed with. Regardless, the
stem cell debate has been a major issue in the science world, and also a very
interesting subject to discuss.
Before studying the controversy about embryonic stem cell
research it is important to understand the background and how they work. After
conception, a sperm cell fertilizes an egg and it divides to produce an embryo.
Within the embryo, there are numerous stem cells that are capable of becoming
various specialized cells useful to many functions of the human body. For the use of research,
scientists receive embryos in two ways. One way to obtain stem cells is with
the use of in vitro fertilization. In this process, a couple's sperm and egg
cells are fertilized together in a culture dish. The eggs develop into embryos,
and then return to the female. Because there are more embryos made than can be
implanted, many of the ‘leftovers’ are usually frozen for later use. Many
couples that go through this process of in vitro fertilization donate their
‘leftover’ embryos for stem cell research (Bishop).
Another way
scientists acquire embryos is through therapeutic cloning. This technique
combines a cell with a donor egg. The nucleus is then removed from the donor
egg and replaced with the nucleus from the patient's cell. This egg is
stimulated to divide, and the resulting embryo holds the patient's genetic
material, which is useful because it decreases the chances that the patient’s
body will reject the new stem cells. This method is less common, but both
methods are seen as controversial to the public (Bishop).
When the cells become three to five days old, the embryo
develops into a chunk of cells called a ‘blastocyst,’ as shown in Fig. 1. A
blastocyst contains about 100 cells; the stem cells are located inside. At this
point, the stem cells are pluripotent; they are able to develop into almost any type
of specialized cell. To grow these specialized stem cells, scientists remove
them from their blastocyst and grow them in a nutrient-rich solution in a Petri
dish in a laboratory. After several months, these cells divide infinitely and
scientists call these large amounts ‘stem cell lines,’ which can then be frozen
for later use (EuroStemCell).
Fig. 1. An
embryonic stem cell goes through the stages of in vitro fertilization in order
to become a blastocyst, and then later, a specialized cell (EuroStemCell).
Each type of cell has it’s own unique characteristic.
These cells are called specialized cells, which work in specialized teams. Some
carry oxygen through the blood system; some do the stretching and contracting
muscles, and some carry messages through the nervous system. The difference
between specialized cells and stem cells are that specialized cells can die,
and have to be replaced by other cells, while stem cells are able to reproduce
infinitely. There are a myriad of different types of specialized cells in the
human body, and it is important they are used and not dying. If they do die,
the body does not work as well. That’s where stem cells can come into play.
Stem cells can be manipulated in order to produce specialized cells to perform
numerous tasks throughout the body. For example, if a person gets a major burn,
it is possible to create specialized skin cells to carry out the task of
providing replacements for those dead cells. The reason why stem cells are so
beneficial to society is because they can turn into whatever kind of cell a
patient might need. The idea that a patient in need of specific special cells
can go into a hospital and receive them is truly a magical thought, and it
could become a reality provided through this research (EuroStemCell).
When looking at the consequences of embryonic stem cell
research, it is important to look at how people perceive the idea of abortion
in society today. The idea of abortion is a difficult issue that many people
and politicians run into in their lives. Abortion is viewed my many as bad,
because it is the process of ‘killing’ a living organism inside of a woman.
Others feel that is should 100% be the woman’s choice whether to have an
abortion or not. I believe that embryonic stem cell research is drastically
different than abortion when you look at the ethical reasons behind both
issues. First of all, abortion is the process of destroying a human embryo,
while embryonic stem cell research uses the embryo in every way possible for
the soul purpose of research to better the medical world as a whole. Scientists
absolutely do not murder embryos when they research them. In order for
something good to happen in life, there always has to be minor sacrifices made
(Explorable.com).
One major argument as to why many people oppose the use
of embryos for stem cell research goes back to religion. Different religions view the
status of a human embryo in several unique ways. For example, the Roman
Catholic, Orthodox and conservative Protestant Churches believe that the embryo
has the “highest status” after conception. The term, “highest status,” means
that the embryo should basically be treated as a human being, and given all the
rights a human would have. The people who follow these religions believe a
human embryo has the right to its own life, and every intervention not
in favor of the embryo is a violation of that right. On the other hand, Judaism and Islam believe the
importance of helping others and argue that the embryo does not have full human
status before 40 days. There are also several other religions that take other
less important positions. Overall, religion is a huge counterargument when it
comes to dealing with embryonic stem cell research, but once again, if you look
at the positives regarding stem cell research, they outweigh the negatives by a
landslide. In Fig. 2, a comic is provided to show the humorous side of the
argument, and why religion should not be a factor when it comes to dealing with
science and medical advancements, which could potentially save lives (Hug).
Fig. 2: A comic showing a
satirical approach about why embryonic stem cell research is not allowed and the
humor behind the controversy (Explorable.com).
One of the sources I found most interesting was that of an
article by Erik Parens in a book, titled The
Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate, where he talks about specifically the moral difference between
research on embryos with the original intention being reproduction, rather than
just for research. Erik Parens is a Senior Research Scholar at The Hastings
Center, and he received his doctorate degree at the University of Chicago. He illustrates the fact that
when you research on embryos for the purpose of reproduction, it does not give
off a negative energy. Scientists are researching these embryos to show how
they can be useful in the process of reproduction. These scientists are not
‘destroying’ the embryos, but rather growing them for further use. That is a
very important point to make, because they are not just researching these
precious embryos, they are developing them into possibly something more, which
could eventually be used to save lives and cure illnesses (Parens).
Imagine
a life where doctors could cure blindness, as well as many other diseases that
affect people every day. Just like the two legally bind women previously
mentioned, there could be numerous miracles created with the help of embryonic
stem cells. There is nothing greater in the world than life, and the fact that
these special cells could help save lives is an extraordinary thought.
Regardless of the fact that different people disagree with the research of
embryonic stem cells, these very cells have the possibility to save lives. To
cure the blind, the deaf, the paralyzed. A truly amazing discovery. To be able
to turn these embryonic cells into different types of valuable specialized
cells is magnificent because they are able to perform functions in the human
body that once were not able to be completed. There are many real life stories
out in the world where people receive stem cells that benefit them in a
life-changing way, and there is nothing better than changing someone’s life for
the better. Embryonic stem cells push the limits of cell research, provide
exciting discoveries in the medical world, and essentially have the ability to
save lives and promote healthy people across the globe. This type of research,
producing only positive scenarios, should definitely be legal and appreciated
by people around the world. To change a life is truly inspiring, and these scientists
are on the right path to doing so.
Works Cited
Bishop, A. E. and Rippon, H. J. (2004), Embryonic stem cells. Cell Proliferation, 37: 23–34. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2184.2004.00298.x
Holland, Suzanne, Karen Lebacqz, and Laurie Zoloth. The
Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate:
Science, Ethics, and Public Policy. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2001. Print.
Hug, Kristina. "Embryonic Stem Cell Research: An
Ethical Dilemma | Europe's Stem Cell
Hub | EuroStemCell." EuroStemCell. N.p., 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.eurostemcell.org/factsheet/embryonic-stem-cell-research-ethical-dilemma>.
“A Stem Cell Story.”
YouTube.com. 14 June 2011. EuroStemCell.
Accessed 21 October 2012.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2-3J6JGN-_Y#!>
