Embryonic Stem Cell Research | Teen Ink

Embryonic Stem Cell Research

November 9, 2008
By Anonymous

The study of embryonic stem cell research should be more supported; it could be a break through for humanity and medical care. By researching embryonic stem cells the ability to repair nerve cells, cure viruses, recreate organs, and treat injuries, which in most cases would remain permanent, could be treated. Some embryonic stem cells come from a male sperm and a female egg joined together in a lab dish for couples who can't reproduce naturally. Scientist put more than one sperm in the lab dish hoping that at least one makes it into the egg to form a baby. When that does occur, extra fertility embryos are thrown away and destroyed, but why destroy something so useful?
If a way to treat people with life threatening conditions could be found then why not? By wasting fertility embryos it seems as though people think that they are better off in the trash than they are saving somebody's life. Stem cells can divide, creating and repairing cells that once were damaged or not working at all. Embryonic stem cells might actually work at any job they are assigned to since it is still in the process of forming. Adult stem cells have already been a part of some cell, so the cell is only a replacement for that certain job.
Adult stem cell research has been deliberated for a while now, making it a source that all can rely on, but adult stem cells are not as flexible as embryonic stem cells are. Even though they have only done a limited job, it does not mean that adult stem cells do nothing, they do a lot. For example, bone marrow transplant for people with leukemia is commonly done by adult stem cells. Using sources such as the adult bone marrow, extra cord blood, and the placenta are extremely useful and not as controversial as embryonic stem cell, but embryonic stem cells have not been given the fair amount of time on humans to prove that it can be as useful as or even more so than adult stem cells.
Embryonic stem cell research is helpful. People who are paralyzed from the neck down and can't be cured by adult stem cells can now have a chance. This is when embryonic stem cells give a step forward to those advances. If we insert embryonic stem cells into a person who has been diagnosed as a quadriplegic, than those cells will help by replacing the cells that have been damaged or ruined in that person, making him or her able to walk again. This dream that some wish could become reality is only a reach away with stem cells. Only researching adult stem cells has its benefits, but embryonic stem cells have better outcome and great expectations for people who suffer from many things. If a possible cure for Alzheimer's or other illnesses could be found than it should not be rejected. This is why the government should allow embryonic stem cells to be researched.


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This article has 1 comment.


Kyle Deitt said...
on Dec. 20 2011 at 9:28 am
Kyle Deitt, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
I agree completely. There is no harm in stem cell research. Throwing embryos away instead of using them for research to help many medical problems would be just plain stupid.