| Definitions |
| Stem cells-n-cells that can divide infinitely, becoming important cells that make up heart and liver issue, muscle, bone, blood vessels etc. |
| Why does everyone care so much about a bunch of stupid cells? |
| The reason scientists used ESCs was that they thought that these were the only stem cells that could be manipulated to turn into any cell in the body. They thought that if you take stem cells from a heart they will only turn into heart tissue, if you took them from a liver they would turn into liver tissue etc. |
| Embryonic stem cells-n-stem cells taken from unborn babies, or embryos, during the first week of life (from now on I will call them ESC's so I don't have to type it over and over, this is not an official abbv. to my knowledge.) |
| Why are embryonic stem cells so special? |
| Scientists beleive that the study of stem cells could result in cures for Diabetese, Pakinsons, Down's Sydrome, Paralysis, heart disease etc. (However ESC's haven't effectively treated a patient as of this writing.) |
| Isn't this a good thing? |
| The controversy is centered around the fact that when the Scientists remove the stem cells from the embryo, the embryo dies. Life is special because we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) and life begins at conception (Jeremiah 1:5). |
| There is another way... |
| Using adult stem cells (everyone has them and they reproduce themselves) has produced more positive results than ESCs. Adult stem cells are usually taken from a persons bone marrow, but they can be taken from other places as well. There are many reasons why adult stem cells are a better choice: |
| 1. The patient receiving the stem cells would not need to be on anti-rejection medication (because the cells could be taken from their own body). 2. No embryos would die. 3. At this point, adult stem cells are safer for the patient. |
| Safer for the patient??? |
| Just because ESCs haven't cured anyone yet, doesn't mean they haven't been tried. In China, scientists injected ESCs into a patients brain in hopes that they would produce more brain cells. However the stem cells turned into hair, skin, and bone cells, killing the patient. |
| On the other hand... |
| Adult stem cells have been used to restore patients' vision, tests have shown that they develop into healthy brain cells in animals, and stem cells extracted from bone marrow have partially restored a lab mouse's damaged heart. |
| With adult stem cells looking so promising, there should not be research performed on ESCs. For more on my opinion email me at [email protected] To step up and make a difference, start by writing your congressman. |
| Now what? |
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