IndexDefinitions What is stem cell research? The ethics involved in stem cell treatment The potential risks involved in patient treatment Definitions Ethics: the branch of knowledge that deals with moral principles. Cellular differentiation: is the process in which “less specialized cells” undergo maturation to become more specific in form and function. This is essentially when a cell changes from one specific type to another. Very often it differentiates into a more specialized cell. It occurs repeatedly in the growth of multicellular organisms as cells within the zygote differentiate into tissues and then into complex organ systems, each with its own cell type. Through fetal development, humans also experience cell differentiation as they grow. In order for the zygote to develop further, the cells differentiate into another form suitable for the next stage of growth.Somatic cell: Any cell that is part of a biological body within a multicellular organism that is not a gamete, a gametocyte , an undifferentiated stem cell or a germ cell. Regenerative medicine: involves the treatment of damaged cells, with the aim of repairing or replacing cells, or regenerating tissues or organs to restore normal body function. IVF embryos: IN VITRO FERTILIZATION - this is essentially the fertilization process happening completely outside the body. Sperm and eggs are combined in the laboratory, in vitro, outside the body. The process involves monitoring a female's ovulatory process and subsequently extracting one or more eggs, allowing a male's sperm to fertilize the egg in a laboratory. IPSC: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: These cells are obtained from skin cells or blood cells that have then been reprogrammed into an embryonic-like pluripotent state that allows the development of any human cell needed for therapeutic or research purposes. They have been studied to become islet beta cells that treat diabetes and blood cells to create new blood free of tumor cells. These cells were then implemented in the treatment received by a leukemia patient. They have also been studied to form neurons to treat neurological disorders. SCNT Technology: SOMATIC CELL NUCLEAR TRANSFER - It is a laboratory strategy that involves the creation of a viable embryo from a body or egg cell. The process involves taking an enucleated oocyte (egg cell) and implanting that cell into the donor nucleus of a somatic cell. In short, the nucleus of both the somatic cell and the egg is removed from the entire cell body, while the rest of the cells are no longer needed. Hemorrhage: The leakage of blood from an injured blood vessel that has been damaged, often as a result of surgery. Neurosurgery: This is simply surgery performed on the nervous system, specifically the spinal cord and brain. What is stem cell research? Stem cell research is the field of study that seeks to identify the uses of stem cells and further understand their potential in medicine. Study the different properties of stem cells, seeking to gain knowledge about how stem cells work so that they can be implemented in the treatment of certain diseases and/or disorders. It is also known as regenerative medicine. It is for this reason that it is studied and investigated to promote the reparative response in diseased, dysfunctional and damaged tissues. Instead of using donor organs, cellsstem cells have the potential to play an important role in organ transplant surgeries, using cells instead of organs. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Many serious medical conditions in humans occur due to the abnormal division of cells which can then have life-threatening implications for the patient. Understanding how stem cells work and their potential functions can help scientists understand why these conditions occur and hopefully then provide appropriate treatment options. It is done so that the research gained from stem cell studies and experiments can form the basis on which ingenious new treatments can be found for conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Stem cells have the innate ability to divide easily and replace dead or damaged cells. Currently, stem cells are widely used in drug testing and drug development. The stem cells used for this purpose are called induced pluripotent stem cells which essentially have already undergone differentiation but have been reprogrammed by scientists using viruses to divide and take the shape of any cell. When reprogrammed and forced to take on the role of another cell, these pluripotent cells now act as undifferentiated cells. This research then leads to the process in which differentiated cells can be grown from these pluripotent stem cells to resemble cells that are undergoing treatment. research, such as cancer cells. This allows scientists to test cancer drugs. In theory, stem cell research plays largely into the revolutionary concept of regenerative medicine. This approach to modern medicine aims to provide better healthcare to patients by focusing on the cause of the disease and studying the means by which to regenerate, repair or replace the cells in question, influencing the quality of life. Because stem cells have the potential to repair or replace cells, test drugs, and treat serious medical conditions, stem cell research is performed in numerous fields of medical practice. The Ethics Involved in Stem Cell TreatmentStem cell research and treatment in particular have always had controversial factors that add to the possible issues surrounding the use of stem cells in the medical industry. The study of stem cells and their implementation in the treatment of serious medical conditions that are very often life-threatening or reduce the patient's quality of life first emerged in the early 1900s. At that time, there was a great opposition to the idea of ​​stem cells because of where they were taken from, which raised many ethical questions regarding the foundations of what it means to be human. But the stem cell research we undertake today is so much more advanced and complex that we simply label ethics as the only reason to disagree with the use of stem cells as regenerative medicine. The potential risks, benefits and realities of stem cell treatment are currently so vast and complicated that the ethics are only one part of a much larger medical inquiry. In short, the origin of the most commonly used stem cells in the past comes from an embryo. During embryonic stem cell harvesting, the embryo is essentially destroyed. Historically, this has not boded well for the support this treatment has received let alone theresearch. In its early stages, President George W. Bush had pro-life religious views, so in 2001 he reportedly banned the funding of stem cell research. The basis on which the ban was based was the controversy over when a human being finally becomes a human being with all fundamental human rights. When does a person truly become aware of the rights of a fully functioning human being? There are numerous points of view regarding this question. Some believed that the human being is called this from the moment of conception and that therefore the destruction of the embryo is, in the literal sense, murder. Others argued that a person first has the same moral status as any other as soon as the fetus develops into an embryo. Some argue that the birth of a child signifies his right to basic human rights from the moment he takes his first breath. All this meant that the destruction of an embryo was morally wrong and therefore prevented the full realization of stem cell research due to the community's failure to identify when a person is truly a human being. At the time, those who supported the use of stem cells in treatment and research claimed that scientists received consent from the male and female whose eggs and sperm were involved in producing the embryo. It is also true that the fertilized eggs created during IVF are discarded anyway and therefore could also be used to benefit suffering patients. Today it is not only embryonic stem cells that are used in stem cell treatments. In 2006, induced pluripotent stem cells were discovered and used in research. But designing iPSCs into treatment also raises the question of whether human cloning is ethical or not. Since iPSCs can potentially create a clone of a donor embryo, there is a whole other basis on which ethics now come into play. Cloning has not yet been done. Some countries even have laws that prevent this. But now we have to consider whether a clone has the same rights as a naturally produced child or not. Stem cell research spans many fields and involves many factors. Logistically, there are not only embryonic stem cells that have the potential to provide revolutionary treatment methods. Ethical complications concern the extent to which stem cell research and treatment can extend before they become morally unethical or wrong. Potential Risks Related to Patient Treatment Stem cell treatment presents potential risks for patients undergoing treatment procedures, particularly those who are engaging in trials or studying treatments. One of these potential risks or concerns is whether the use of stem cells can cause tumors. The great potential that embryonic stem cells possess is their ability to form any type of cell within the body. When implanted into an animal, there have been cases where the cells form tumors called teratomas due to this ability. They often consist of many cells, including hair cells and possibly many other tissues. It is for this reason that embryonic cells mature into highly purified adult cells before being implanted into humans. This has proven effective, but the possibility of something going wrong still poses a risk. Just as there is a risk with any form of implant, there is a risk of immune rejection. These cells have the potential to be recognized by the immune system as foreign, in which case your immune system will reject the cells.