Mitosis and Meiosis: Tutorial
Embryonic Stem Cells in Medical Advancements and Ethical Issues
Embryonic stem cells have the potential to be used in various medical advancements due to their ability to differentiate into any type of cell in the body. They could be used to replace damaged or diseased cells and tissues, such as in the treatment of spinal cord injuries or Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, they could be utilized for drug testing and development, as well as studying the mechanisms of human development and disease.
However, the use of embryonic stem cells raises ethical concerns as their extraction involves destroying embryos, which some people consider the beginning of human life. On the other hand, adult stem cells can be obtained from tissues like bone marrow or fat, and their use does not involve ethical controversies as they are found in fully developed individuals and their extraction does not harm the donor.
Question: Although both adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells are used for research, embryonic stem cells are of particular interest among researchers. Which medical advancements are possible using these stem cells? What ethical issues could arise from using embryonic cells as opposed to adult stem cells? Answer: Embryonic stem cells have the potential to be used in various medical advancements such as replacing damaged cells, drug testing, and studying human development. However, ethical issues arise from the destruction of embryos during their extraction, which some see as the beginning of human life. In contrast, adult stem cells do not pose similar ethical concerns as they can be obtained from fully developed individuals without causing harm to the donor.