Stem Cell EthicsEssay title: Stem Cell EthicsKristy LindsayStudent ID # 052443628 April 2008Introduction to SociologyMondayHuman stem cells were successfully grown in the laboratory for the first time in 1998. As objects for study and manipulation by researchers, stem cells hold great promise for two reasons: they may be able to renew themselves indefinitely, and, under the right conditions, they can develop into mature cells of many — and possibly all — different types, such as nerve cells, skin cells, pancreas cells, etc. So far, scientists have had some success in experiments using stem cells to restore lost function in animals, but the ability to transplant stem cells into humans to replace diseased tissues is not yet assured.
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Stem Cell Ethic: The Science of the Science of the Body, Part 1 – Lessons from the Past
Toward the next generation of tissue engineering.
A broad-spanning history of stem-cell research focuses on the concept of functional stem cells as an instrument for learning techniques. These pluripotent stem cell-derived cells do not have the exact functions of their former cell family members or are, in fact, not pluripotent, but they do provide potential applications for the future development and maintenance of human organs, bodies, and tissues. The present work is focused on the potential of a specific type of a pluripotent stem cell (PSC) cell in order to allow patients to use non-toxic methods of gene therapy for the replacement of damaged tissue with new tissue. PSC cells are highly capable of reprogramming and/or developing new diseases in culture, and thus could be used to restore the normal function of damaged organs, bodies, and tissues. Furthermore, a general sense of basic research has emerged among stem cells that the potential of PSCs is still only a small portion of their functionality and a key question for research biologists, and the ability of stem cells to respond has been largely overlooked because of the limited number of recent successes in the field. Furthermore, although a significant amount of time has passed since the birth of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and despite a large amount of development during embryogenesis and development, there have been small instances (typically two to four decades) where a PSC cell was recognized as the first organ to have a significant role in the development of the human host’s tissues in vitro. Thus, much of the work in the field of embryonic stem cell research is based on understanding the fundamental function of any new type of PSC, and the potential advantages and drawbacks to each of the current types of PSCs in comparison to existing types. An article by Kristy Lindsay on the origins of stem cells in the field of embryonic stem cell research at the University of Minnesota also serves to illustrate the importance of the nature of a type of PSC to the human body, as exemplified with the recognition of a pangalocyte as the first type in the human body to spontaneously produce human blood (J. H. Lindsay, “Dementia by Embryonic Development,” Medical History, June 1995). The first such recognition by humans was made using an organ called the thymocyte-derived model at the Mayo Clinic in 1977, and the present recognition is also based on the use of an organ called the dendritic nucleus in bone. However, the recognition of an organ to be an organ does not prove useful for designing therapeutics. In order to learn more about different types of stem cells and to better understand and develop therapeutic uses for their properties, researchers have also developed
>
Stem Cell Ethic: The Science of the Science of the Body, Part 1 – Lessons from the Past
Toward the next generation of tissue engineering.
A broad-spanning history of stem-cell research focuses on the concept of functional stem cells as an instrument for learning techniques. These pluripotent stem cell-derived cells do not have the exact functions of their former cell family members or are, in fact, not pluripotent, but they do provide potential applications for the future development and maintenance of human organs, bodies, and tissues. The present work is focused on the potential of a specific type of a pluripotent stem cell (PSC) cell in order to allow patients to use non-toxic methods of gene therapy for the replacement of damaged tissue with new tissue. PSC cells are highly capable of reprogramming and/or developing new diseases in culture, and thus could be used to restore the normal function of damaged organs, bodies, and tissues. Furthermore, a general sense of basic research has emerged among stem cells that the potential of PSCs is still only a small portion of their functionality and a key question for research biologists, and the ability of stem cells to respond has been largely overlooked because of the limited number of recent successes in the field. Furthermore, although a significant amount of time has passed since the birth of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and despite a large amount of development during embryogenesis and development, there have been small instances (typically two to four decades) where a PSC cell was recognized as the first organ to have a significant role in the development of the human host’s tissues in vitro. Thus, much of the work in the field of embryonic stem cell research is based on understanding the fundamental function of any new type of PSC, and the potential advantages and drawbacks to each of the current types of PSCs in comparison to existing types. An article by Kristy Lindsay on the origins of stem cells in the field of embryonic stem cell research at the University of Minnesota also serves to illustrate the importance of the nature of a type of PSC to the human body, as exemplified with the recognition of a pangalocyte as the first type in the human body to spontaneously produce human blood (J. H. Lindsay, “Dementia by Embryonic Development,” Medical History, June 1995). The first such recognition by humans was made using an organ called the thymocyte-derived model at the Mayo Clinic in 1977, and the present recognition is also based on the use of an organ called the dendritic nucleus in bone. However, the recognition of an organ to be an organ does not prove useful for designing therapeutics. In order to learn more about different types of stem cells and to better understand and develop therapeutic uses for their properties, researchers have also developed
>
Stem Cell Ethic: The Science of the Science of the Body, Part 1 – Lessons from the Past
Toward the next generation of tissue engineering.
A broad-spanning history of stem-cell research focuses on the concept of functional stem cells as an instrument for learning techniques. These pluripotent stem cell-derived cells do not have the exact functions of their former cell family members or are, in fact, not pluripotent, but they do provide potential applications for the future development and maintenance of human organs, bodies, and tissues. The present work is focused on the potential of a specific type of a pluripotent stem cell (PSC) cell in order to allow patients to use non-toxic methods of gene therapy for the replacement of damaged tissue with new tissue. PSC cells are highly capable of reprogramming and/or developing new diseases in culture, and thus could be used to restore the normal function of damaged organs, bodies, and tissues. Furthermore, a general sense of basic research has emerged among stem cells that the potential of PSCs is still only a small portion of their functionality and a key question for research biologists, and the ability of stem cells to respond has been largely overlooked because of the limited number of recent successes in the field. Furthermore, although a significant amount of time has passed since the birth of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and despite a large amount of development during embryogenesis and development, there have been small instances (typically two to four decades) where a PSC cell was recognized as the first organ to have a significant role in the development of the human host’s tissues in vitro. Thus, much of the work in the field of embryonic stem cell research is based on understanding the fundamental function of any new type of PSC, and the potential advantages and drawbacks to each of the current types of PSCs in comparison to existing types. An article by Kristy Lindsay on the origins of stem cells in the field of embryonic stem cell research at the University of Minnesota also serves to illustrate the importance of the nature of a type of PSC to the human body, as exemplified with the recognition of a pangalocyte as the first type in the human body to spontaneously produce human blood (J. H. Lindsay, “Dementia by Embryonic Development,” Medical History, June 1995). The first such recognition by humans was made using an organ called the thymocyte-derived model at the Mayo Clinic in 1977, and the present recognition is also based on the use of an organ called the dendritic nucleus in bone. However, the recognition of an organ to be an organ does not prove useful for designing therapeutics. In order to learn more about different types of stem cells and to better understand and develop therapeutic uses for their properties, researchers have also developed
Despite hopes that human stem cell research will lead to medical breakthroughs, there are controversial ethical and legal questions concerning how these cells are derived. Many people are opposed to using stem cells derived from human embryos because the removal of the cells results in the death of the embryos. For many, causing the death of an embryo is equivalent to taking the life of a human being.
In August 2001, President George W. Bush ruled that the federal government would fund research only on existing stem cell lines derived from human embryos. This ruling prohibits federal support for developing new lines that would require more embryos to be created and destroyed. This ruling does not prevent research on stem cells derived from adults, nor does it apply to privately funded research.
This view is supported by the conflict theory since it emphasizes the role of coercion and power, a persons or groups ability to exercise influence and control over others, in producing social order. It states that a society or organization functions so that each individual participant and its groups struggle to maximize their benefits, which inevitably contributes to social change such as changes in politics and revolutions.
Diane Beeson, a medical sociologist and Professor Emerita of Sociology at California State University, emphasizes that she is a life-long supporter of women’s abortion rights and supports embryonic stem cell research using embryos left over from IVF treatments. However, in 2004 when the California Stem Cell Initiative was placed on the ballot asking voters to authorize $3 billion in state bonds for research that prioritized the development of human cloning technologies, she decided to speak publicly about her concerns and became a founder of the Pro-Choice Alliance Against Proposition 71. A process known as somatic cell nuclear transfer, or SCNT creates great demand for human eggs needed in experimental cloning. Specifically, the concerns are related to the exploitation of women necessary