Chad Allen
Adam Sprague
English 101
28 November 2012
New Discoveries
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[M1] . 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 pro-life. [M2] 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 the[M3]
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 who go through this process of in vitro fertilization donate
their ‘leftover’ embryos for stem cell research (Bishop[M4] ).
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 Figure 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).
Figure 1: An
embryonic stem cell goes through the stages of in vitro [M5] fertilization
in order to become a blastocyst, and then later, a specialized cell.
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 (EuroStemCell).[M6]
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 [M7] after conception, and should
be treated as a human would be treated. 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 f[M8] igure 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).
Figure
[M9] 2:
A comic showing the ridiculousness about why embryonic stem cell research is
not allowed and the humor behind the argument.
One of the sources I found most interesting was that of a
book by Erik Parens[M10] , where he talks about specifically the moral difference between
research on embryos with the original intention being reproduction, rather than
just for research. 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[M11]
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[M12] .
With the ever-increasing population in the world, there are, as a result, many diseases that take over our lives. Scientists everywhere are constantly researching many of the diseases that have not yet found a cure. In the early 1960’s, scientists discovered stem cells, cells that could self-renew. Later in the century, stem cell research has been an intriguing subject for scientists around the world. There are a few different types of stem cells: adult cells, fetal cells, cord blood cells, Induced Pluripotent cells, and embryonic cells. Embryonic stem cells are very interesting because they can be specialized to function as any cell in the human body.
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. I plan to support my thesis by looking at the benefits of embryonic stem cell research, and also show the counterargument, and why I believe my thesis is more accurate. Yes, there are many ethical issues regarding the process of removing a human embryo for research, and in my paper I am addressing how those concerns are practically irrelevant in the big picture.
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
This source is a scholarly
article written by H. J. Rippon and A. E. Bishop describing how embryonic stem
cells work and how they are able to regenerate and possibly create tissues and
organs. This article is more about the scientific aspect of embryonic stem cell
research, so it is a good source to have to fully understand how stem cells
work, and the biological reasoning behind them. I can use this source in my
first couple paragraphs because it can be useful to explain how embryonic stem
cells work, and then I will able to go into the ethical side of the argument
without much confusion. H. J. Rippon and A. E. Bishop are very credible because
they are both apart of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Centre in London, UK.
Explorable.com (2008). Stem
Cell Research. Retrieved 21 Oct. 2012 from Explorable: http://explorable.com/stem-cell-pros-and-cons.html
This online source outlines
the pros and cons dealing with stem cell research. Explorable.com does a very
good job giving both sides of the argument by showing what stem cells are, and
by presenting lists that show pros and cons. I learned several diseases that
could possibly be treated by use of stem cells, and also how there are several
cons, such as the value of human life. I also learned that the pros and cons
differed slightly after 2007, scientists have moved on to use more ethical
methods for stem cell research, such as iPS. This web page is a good page to
use as both an argument for embryonic stem cell research, as well as a
counterargument. Explorable.com is run by a group of scientists and
psychologists who study many topics, so this is a credible source.
Holland, Suzanne, Karen Lebacqz, and Laurie Zoloth. The
Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate:
Science, Ethics, and Public Policy. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2001. Print.
This source was an article by
Erik Parens in a book called The Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate: Science,
Ethics, and Public Policy. Parens talks about specifically the moral
difference between research on embryos with the original intention being
reproduction, rather than just for research. A few facts I found from this book
was that there is a concern that scientists sometimes treat embryos as
something less of what they should be. Parens also illustrates the concern that
women might start to donate their ova for research, which is not the intention
of scientists. Paren basically explains how scientists should treat embryos and
the moral aspect of retrieving an embryo for research, rather than for
reproduction. I plan to use this in my body paragraphs to go into detail on the
ethical issue surrounding stem cells, and how embryos are important. Erik
Parens is a Senior Research Scholar at The Hastings Center, and he received his
doctorate degree at the University of Chicago.
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>.
This is an online article
that shows the ethical dilemma behind stem cell research, including the moral
status of a human embryo. Kristina Hug gives a variety of opinions people have,
and she gives arguments on both sides. Such opinions include that the embryo
has full mortal status from fertilization onwards, that embryos have an increasing
status as it develops, and also how different religions have different views of
the moral value of the human embryo. Hug basically shows how there are many
points of view to the human embryo, and shows how people disagree on each
issue. This source is an excellent source because it gives both sides of the
argument, and also I can look at different religions and see their beliefs on
stem cell research. Kristina Hug is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Medical
Ethics at Lund University in Sweden.
“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#!>
This film was created by EuroStemCell, an online
organization that educates people on stem cell research. The main point of this
film was to show to the audience what stem cells are, where they come from, and
what they can potentially accomplish. I got facts such as the many stages of
development of stem cells, and also how one cell can become almost any type of
specialized cell. I liked this source because it is a film, and gives very
visually appealing facts and information. This source is great for looking at
the idea of embryonic stem cell research in a different light, and there are
several interviews that I can quote in my paper.
[M6]You
may have a bit too much description and explanation in your paper.
Focus a bit more on your argument.
Can you trim this down and bring in more sources
favoring your position?
[M9]Youll
need to reformat all your captions.
“ridiculousness” is probably too harsh and casual for
an academic essay. Be sensitive to other
side.
Make sure to cite your source in these!
[M12]Good
job, really good job.
A few formatting issues, and I think you provide a bit
too much background info in the opening of the paper.
This is close to being ready for your portfolio.
5.7/6
[M13]This
should not be an annotated bib, just a regular Works Cited page – a list of
sources. You’ll need to revise this.
