Stem_Cells

Aaron Tapper Mrs. Harper 12-7-10 Final Stem cells are also known as the building blocks of life. Stem cells are a miracle worker and can form into any type of cell. That’s why is important that we keep funding them. Bush however did not, and turned down embryonic stem cell research twice. Embryonic stems cells are the most useful of the three types because scientist have already got them to form over 200 types of cells. The other types are adult stem cells and IPS or pluripotent stem cells. These types are not nearly as useful as embryonic stem cells. The only reason why embryonic stem cells are not liked as much is they use embryos, which are aborted or formed in dishes at a fertility clinic. Embryos are preborn babies that range from 7 weeks of age or less. This is why some people oppose of embryonic stem cell research because it kills the embryo. But sometimes you have to kill a life to save a life; in the case of stem cell research killing a life would save millions of lives. Now with Obama in office to fund, stem cell research has gone further. Right now the government has given millions of dollars to embryonic stem cell research. President Obama passed stem cell research due to the positive effects such studies have on individuals with disabilities. One of the biggest reasons to do embryonic stem cell research is to prevent disabilities. Preventing disabilities would be a huge benefit to society. Stem cell research could help prevent diseases that start in babies. All scientist would have to do is form the stem cells into whatever the disable cells are and replace them in the baby. It could prevent diseases, missing body parts, and other types of disabilities in a baby. A big disability stem cells could prevent is autism which affects1 in every 110 kids in the United States. Stem cells can even help people who already have any type of disability. Stem cells can help people who do have diseases. Stems cells could help people who need a transplant. The use of stem cells in bone marrow transplants has been used for years. Instead of them having to find the perfect donor they could just use stem cells. The stem cells would use a type of cloning called therapeutic cloning and make a working replica of that organ. Stem cells forming into the needed organs have been proven to work on several occasions. According to the University of Nevada, scientist made stem cells form into human livers, hearts, and other organs in goats. The organs were a sucess and the goat’s had functioning organs. Studies with stem cells being injected into monkeys have also worked, and since, monkeys closely resemble us humans. These studies have shown that using stem cells to help people who need transplants is a fact. Stem cells could also help people with a missing body part, or a disease. Stem cells can even help us cure disabilities. Curing disabilities would help save millions of lives, alleviating the pain of millions of people. Ultimately and most importantly stems cells could cure disabilities like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, stroke, spinal cord injuries, bone diseases, and even cancer. In the United States approximately 1,500 people die of cancer a day and 3,400 are diagnosed and stem cells could stop this. Scientist are trying everything to get there and have even had a very successful study at the University of Minnesota. Scientist, used human embryonic stem cells as a source for immune cells that targeted and destroyed cancer cells. This study worked in an experiment and today they are trying to get the same effect on animals. In another experiment at the Northwestern University School of Medicine in Brazil, scientists got thirteen young diabetics and created a treatment using the patients own stem cells. The experiment was a huge success and 11 patients were type 1 diabetes free and did not need any medication. Today two of those patients are diabetes free. Stem cell research could help the people surrounding you such as Sam Streck, Mrs. Preston, Carley, and the other student and teachers surrounding you. For Sam, the stems cells could form into pancreatic cells that produce insulin diminishing the need to constantly check and inject himself with insulin. Stem cells could ease the pain of the people you know. Stem cells can help people with any type of drawbacks, stop disabilities, and most importantly abolish those disabilities. Stem cells are now being studied and in some day in the near future will help everyone.