This essay deals with the different types of stem cells that exist and their different characteristics. I will also take a look at the different aspects of stem cell research, the problems, legal aspects and techniques involved.
Because of their infinite versatility, embryonic stem cells provide a better foundation for research and development than adult stem cells. Adult stem cells are already roughly differentiated and require procedures to become another type of cell. Ethics is a big part of stem cell research, as cloning and destroying embryos are partly involved or connected.
Although adult stem cells have shown that scientists sometimes underestimate their potential, it will still be a long time before adult cells could be used as widely as embryonic stem cells. The whole concept of stem cells is quite new, and there is still a lot to research and test before all the possibilities can be tested in a laboratory, not to mention a human body.
A colony of embryonic stem cells, from the H9 cell...
English: Embryonic Stem Cells. (A) shows hESCs. (B...
Mouse embryonic stem cells. More lab photosRight now it seems as though embryonic stem cells could provide help within already a short period of time compared to adult cells, and also much more easily. Therefore embryonic stem cells would be better to use, even though research on adult stem cells should be carried on simultaneously.
1. Introduction.
Research on stem cells is knowledge about how an organism develops from a single cell and how healthy cells can replace damaged cells in an adult organism. In this area scientists are investigating the possibility of cell-based therapies to treat diseases.
I chose this area of biology because stem cells provided an intriguing topic. The way that entire humans develop from these small boxes is fascinating and it was interesting to see photos of the different phases and learn about the steps how every human came into being. Stem cells...