Stem Cell Case

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Persuasive Essay

Stem Cell Research

"A stem cell is a 'generic' cell that can make exact copies of itself indefinitely" (HealthScout). Stem Cell research is a great way for scientists to learn more about how the cells of the human body work, and how we can use certain cells to create other cells. Stem cells can also be preserved for as long as the scientists want to preserve them, allowing scientists to use the cells as needed. Not only can these "nonspecialized cells" (Experiment Resources)create other cells, such as brain cells, tissue cells, muscle cells, and blood cells, they have the potential to cure many diseases that are incurable with the resources and knowledge that exist today. Stem cells are the easy, and the seemingly obvious, way of figuring out how to treat many incurable diseases and how to grow or recreate new cells.

Stem cells are a smart and affective way of growing new cells. Numerous cases involve patients in need of new tissues due to a variety of diseases or injuries that destroy the patient's cells or tissues. Stem cells have the ability to heal said patient's ailments. Because stem cells have the ability to create new cells of all sorts, and also the ability to indefinitely make copies themselves, this is an obvious answer to problems of this sort.

Some people might ask, "How are these stem cells obtained?" This topic was quite the controversy several years ago. These stem cells are usually obtained one of two ways, one method for each different type of stem cell.

One type of stem cell is from embryonic stem cells, "these are obtained from either aborted fetuses or fertilized eggs that are left over from in vitro fertilization (IVF)" (HealthScout). "IVF is the process of fertilization by manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish...the process is combined with a procedure known as embryo transfer" ("American Pregnancy Association"). This method used to be very controversial because of the fact that the cells are obtained from the fetuses of aborted babies. Many people believed this to be unethical. Yes, abortion is and most likely always will be frowned upon. The fact of the matter is that the babies are already aborted and instead of just getting rid of them, we should use them in a positive manner in which we can actually gain intelligence and possibly cures.

The second type of stem cell is an adult stem cell. These cells, however, "are not as versatile for research purposes because they are specific to certain cell types,