General Chat / Embryonic Stem Cells

For my science class in school, im required to enter into the DuPont essay contest (some of u might know what that is) and my teacher gave me the topic of Embryonic stem cells. I have no clue whta they are, and since this report is 90% of my third quarter average, i need help. If any of you know anything bout this or have a link to any info it would be greatly appreciated.

If I remember correctly, stem cells are the first few cells formed from an embryo, and are basically a "clean slate", meaning they can be reproduced into any other type of cell for the body to use. There has been a lot of controversy over whether or not it's ethical to use them, and it all goes back to the "when does life really begin" arguments. But I can't tell you a lot about them, search for "stem cells" on google, I'm sure that you'll get plenty of results.

From GCSE biology I believe stem cells are the first cells produced because they have the capability to transform into any cell in the body. Embryos are made specifically for stem cell generation, so the stem cells (if the dna is close enough) can be put into another human and they will then transform into whatever cell is missing. So paralysis could, theoretically be cured as nerve cells could regenerate. However, it opens the debate of when life starts - because it involves killing the embryo at an early stage (although some families choose to let the embryo develop and just have another child).

You guys are correct about what stem cells are. They are undifferentiated embryotic cells. The idea behind stem cell research is that if we could learn the triggers that cause these cells to transform into the many different cells of the body, we could conceivably grow new organs and tissues for use in transplants...I know some research has been done in growing human tissue on animal hosts (anyone whose see pics of a mouse with a human ear growing on its back will know what I'm talking about), but as for specifics in stem cell research and where we are in terms of understanding I'm a little out of date. I do know that this is an extremely controversial area of study tho.

Yeah, stem-cell research could cure my diabeties.

The reason it is under so much debate is because those that are pro-life feel that it is murder.

Everyone's got an opinion on this subject.

thanks everyone, thats very helpful. I came across something interesting in my research. With mice that had diabetes, what they did was create a clone embryo of the mouse so that it isn't real;ly killing a baby, but killing a clone. Thats not much better, but...

Also, since the DNA of the stem cells is the same as the organ being replaced, the cells don't get rejected by the body like in some transplants.

Just something to think about.

hey man. what the fuck.

was that necessary? You made me get puke all over my keyboard...

It was slightly helpful though.

Except I think that has more to do with pre-birth genetic modification rather than stem cell transplantation.

The thing you said speedviper... that's why some parents with children who need the surgery get articificial fertilisation or whatever it's called to ensure that the new baby is a clone. That was in the paper in the uk last week.

sorry to get slightly off topic, but....

HOORAY!!! im not the only diabetic here!! i feel warm inside.

rctfreak, how long have you had it and what type is it?

if you want a comical view at it, just look at the stem cell episode of south park with that former superman-now-paralyzed dude (sorry for all the fans of him, but i forgot ghis name and am too lazy to look for it)

Christopher Reeves (sp?)

thats the guy, thanx