Stem cell research

A huge controversy touches upon stem cell research because of the way embryos are created, used and destructed for study purposes alone. On the other hand, stem cell research gives hopes to the medical world about the possibility to cure diseases like Alzheimer, Parkinson’s, heart attacks, diabetes, strokes and many others. Yet, lots of people who protest against stem cell research don’t really know that there are many processes and lab tests that work with stem cells without causing any harm to human embryos. Adult stem cells for instance represent a good biological material to work on, although with a lower potential then embryonic stem cells.

There are many limitations related to the specialization potential of adult stem cells, particularly since embryonic cells have an unlimited variants of differentiation. Moreover, stem cell research has proved the fact that stem cells collected from embryos are more valuable in the treatment of nervous disease. There are bad bits to embryonic stem cells as well because very often they are rejected by the immune system. This is actually the trap that many parents are not aware of when storing stem cells from the umbilical cord blood in banks as an insurance policy for the future health of their child.

Lots of mysteries remain unsolved for the moment, and stem cell research needs to progress a bit further before coming up with new and viable treatments. The only type of stem cell transplant that is widely practiced without any problem is the bone marrow transplant. Other than this case, stem cell research cannot so far boast with the development of therapies that have a support in the treatment of human health problems. For the moment, stem cell research needs to come up with other collection sources other than embryos.

It was in 2007 that the Advanced Cell Technology Institute announced the creation of three stem cell lines that were produced without the destruction of the parenting embryos. Such significant achievements of stem cell research have been unique so far in the world, but more novelties seem to change the evolution of experimental medicine. In the same year, 2007, scientists announced that the amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus in the womb contains stem cells that can differentiate and develop into bones, blood vessels, muscles, nerves and organs. This new resource for tissues could increase the possibility to develop methods for the treatment of malfunctioning or injured organs.