NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
... are stem cells not derived from an embryo, and thus not even flawed arguments can be made against them. The most common adult stem cell is the blood stem cell. Trigg, a medical doctor involved in doing the research, has termed these hematopoietic stem cells.
These stem cells are found in the bone marrow and spleen, and are normally used in the germination of new blood cells, both red and white. Red cells are used in the distribution of food, oxygen, and waste throughout the body. White blood cells come in various forms, and are all used for immunity from pathogens (harmful microscopic particles and organisms that include bacteria and viruses). Unfortunately, there are very few hematopoietic stem cells in an adult's bone marrow. Approximately one in one hundred thousand bone marrow cells are actually stem cells. Other sources of adult stem cells include those of the umbilical cord at birth.
But all of these cells are very limited in what they can do. They can only reliably form blood cells. Scientists have found that they can repair minor tissue damage with them (Trigg 1051 - 2). For example, if the heart muscle is damaged, hematopoietic stem cells can be implanted.
These cells will specialize to take the structure of their surrounding cells. However, these cells do not perform the intended function of the muscle cell. They can only be used as "gap fillers" in the tissue. Another added drawback to these adult stem cells is that they do not store well in culture. Not completely undifferentiated, they require being in an environment that they were designed to work with. They can only replicate themselves about ten times before dying off completely.
Only the embryonic stem cell can make tissue other than blood cells as well as survive outside the body. While they have their use, the adult hematopoietic stem cell can only be used in very specific applications. This does not mean to say that hematopoietic are useless and cannot be used. Dr. Michael E. Trigg is a pediatrician who has been working with the applications of stem cells in children.
Severe aplastic anemia, a malady found most commonly in children, is a disease where the patient has a dangerously low blood cell count. Bruising and bleeding result too few platelets being present. Using stem cell therapy shows promise to cure severe aplastic anemia completely. The stem cells are directly implanted into the bone marrow where they replenish or even repair the damaged hematopoietic cells (Trigg 1051). Stem cell therapy in children shows a large amount of promise with very little risk.
While this procedure is always held as a last resort, children who undergo this therapy are usually expected to make a full recovery. Useful in a small amount of diseases, and more effective in humans, the adult stem cell shows great potential and should continue be explored by the scientific and medical community. Hematopoietic stem cells are not the only type of adult stem cell, however. There is a form of stem cell called the neurogenic multi potent progenitors.
They are involved in the formation of new nervous tissue within the brain itself. There are two places where these can be found. The first place is the hippocampus, a region involved in temporary storage for long-term memory. This is an important region to be kept in perfect working condition, as it takes days to weeks to consolidate the memory enough to store it away permanently.
The second place is in the olfactory bulb. For an unknown reason, the human body has seen fit to evolve the region of the brain that controls smell to be extremely regenerative (while the reason for this is unknown, it explains how smell is the strongest sense tied to memory) (Wang n. p. ). These neurogenic multi potent progenitors, like the hematopoietic stem cells, are severely limited in the types of neurons they are able to become. They are scarce when in the body, and do not multiply well in the Petri dish. Embryonic stem cells are still the best promise scientists can offer to cure disease and repair damage.
There is an optimistic side to the adult stem cell, however. Another type of stem cell found in the bone marrow was discovered. They are more abundant than the hematopoietic, but are closely linked to the bone marrow, making them as specific as marrow transplant matches. These cells are called mesenchymal stem cells.
They are primarily used to create more bone marrow, but have the ability to transform into the "scaffolding" cells of most types of tissue. This is very useful in repairing damaged cartilage, damage usually resulting from the effects of arthritis (Embryonic n. p. ). While the specificity of these stem cells may make them appear to be nearly useless, this is not completely true. Since they are abundant in the body, they can be harvested from the body to be placed elsewhere. A patient with juvenile arthritis could be cured by simply using stem cells from their own body and implanting them into the degrading joints.
While they are limited, mesenchymal stem cells are much more useful than any other form of adult stem cell. The embryonic stem cell would be able to perform the same task more efficiently. However, the controversial issues do not apply, and potentially could be very helpful in showing the people how beneficial stem cells can be. Stem cell research is unavoidable if the medical world wishes to be able to repair damage within the human body. While it is true that obtaining stem cells destroys life, the benefit to the greater good greatly outweighs the destruction of potential life resulting from a fertilized egg. With an infinite supply of stem cells from just a few lines, all defective tissues can be replaced.
Those working in the medical world can greatly improve the quality of human life. With stem cells used in general practice in hospitals, people will live longer, healthier, lives. Many diseases would be completely eradicated, and injuries would cease to be crippling to so many people. However, only when scientists and doctors fully understand how to implement the embryonic stem cell, can all this happen. With funding and support for just a handful more stem cell lines, the medical world could be supplied with an infinite number of stem cells to cure patients. When doctors have all of the lines they need, then they can cease destroying embryos to obtain the stem cells they require.
The biological world and the field of stem cells specifically, require the support of the federal government as well as the people to make this possible. [/i]
Free research essays on topics related to: embryonic stem cell, adult stem cells, blood cells, cell therapy, bone marrow
Research essay sample on Stem Cells The Miracle Cure
