Stem+Cell+Research

Stem Cell Research Stem cells are cells that are found in multi cellular organisms (organisms that consist of more than one cell). These cells are very special since they have the ability to renew themselves through mitosis. These cells can then differentiate into a diverse range of specialized cell types. There are two types of stem cells, embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are stem cells that are found in embryos while adult stem cells are ones that are found in the body after embryonic development. Although research in stem cells is fairly new, it is thought that stem cells can be used to cure diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s disease due to their ability to renew themselves. Although using stem cells to cure diseases can be a very promising discovery, there is also a very controversial side to it. This is because to when you get stem cells from an embryo the embryo is killed which is unethical for many people. Stem cell research is one of the most fascinating areas of modern biology.

Is stem cell research good? The area of stem cells is still a controversial one. There are people that think that there is no benefit in treating diseases with stem cells and that is the one and first limitation for genetic engenieering. The other limitation is ethical. Certain (not all) stem cells are obtained from embrios and I dont think an indivividual should be sacrified for genetic engenieering but if the right cells are used then it is a very good posibilty of treatment for many diseases including genetical diseases. There are diseases in which genetic deficiencies prevent the cells from producing important proteins (enzymes, antibodies, etc). Stem cells can be transformed into antibody producers using genetic engeneering and introduce into the patients to make a new population of cells that produce the antibodies that the patient needs for his immune system saving him from diseases.

Genetic Engineering in Stem Cell Research According to dictionary.com genetic engineering is “the development and application of scientific methods, procedures, and technologies that permit direct manipulation of genetic material in order to alter the hereditary traits of a cell, organism, or population” (dictionary.com). This is very relevant to stem cell research as stem cells may help scientists to realize how humans develop from a single cell to a full grown adult which may allow them to further manipulate what that cell develops into. Therefore, although genetic engineering is not actually used during stem cell research, they are interconnected, and a discovery in one area may lead to discoveries in the other.