Stem CellsStem Cells and Their Importance in Research and and Their Importance in Research and

Bioethics in the 21Bioethics in the 21stst Century… Century…

By: ED (1)

What are stem cells?

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Stem cells are relatively undifferentiated cells that can develop into any kind of cell in the human body.

What We Already What We Already Know About Know About Stem Cells …Stem Cells …o Two types of Stem cells- Embryonic Stem cells Two types of Stem cells- Embryonic Stem cells

and Adult stem cellsand Adult stem cellso Bone Marrow Transplants- proven treatmentBone Marrow Transplants- proven treatment -replaces stem cells that are -replaces stem cells that are

damaged/destroyeddamaged/destroyedo Blood Stem cells- same properties as bone Blood Stem cells- same properties as bone

marrowmarrow - less invasive; drawn blood sample- less invasive; drawn blood sampleo Umbilical Cord Blood Stem cells- rich of stem Umbilical Cord Blood Stem cells- rich of stem

cellscells - rejected less often; non-developed cell surface - rejected less often; non-developed cell surface

molecules which cannot be recognized and will molecules which cannot be recognized and will not be attacked by the host’s immune systemnot be attacked by the host’s immune system

How we are affected…

Targets our beliefs and valuesTargets our beliefs and values Government controls funding- for Government controls funding- for

any type of stem cell researchany type of stem cell research i.e. US >> policy allows federal i.e. US >> policy allows federal

funding on research to existing funding on research to existing ES cell linesES cell linesCanada>> permits use of stem Canada>> permits use of stem cells obtained from discarded cells obtained from discarded products of in-vitro fertilization; products of in-vitro fertilization; excess and unused embryosexcess and unused embryos

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Bioethics and ES Cell Bioethics and ES Cell ResearchResearch Controversy pertaining to Controversy pertaining to

what is being sacrificed for what is being sacrificed for biological advancesbiological advances

EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS- EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS- main argumentmain argument

Critics feel that destruction Critics feel that destruction of embryos = killing a fellow of embryos = killing a fellow human beinghuman being

Human ES cell lines are Human ES cell lines are made from inner cell mass of made from inner cell mass of a blastocyst stage embryoa blastocyst stage embryo

Embryos are destroyed when Embryos are destroyed when extracting stem cellsextracting stem cells

Have potential to develop Have potential to develop into human beings.into human beings.

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WHEN DOES LIFE WHEN DOES LIFE START??START??

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New and Exciting Research

researchers in Kyoto University-Japanresearchers in Kyoto University-Japan found a way to convert human skin found a way to convert human skin

cells into stem cells without cells into stem cells without destroying embryosdestroying embryos

Huge advancement; only stem cells Huge advancement; only stem cells has pluripotency has pluripotency

New cells - induced pluripotent stem New cells - induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS)cells (iPS)

Have ability to change into any type of Have ability to change into any type of cell in the bodycell in the body

Not suited for medical therapies…yetNot suited for medical therapies…yet Uses viruses to inject genes into cells Uses viruses to inject genes into cells

DNA- viruses insert genes at random DNA- viruses insert genes at random locations causing mutations to occurlocations causing mutations to occur (7)

Induced Pluripotent Stem CellsHow it works:How it works:

1) Human skin cells called fibroblasts 1) Human skin cells called fibroblasts obtained by shallow penetration of skinobtained by shallow penetration of skin

2)Grow samples containing thousands of 2)Grow samples containing thousands of skin cells in dish>> use viruses to skin cells in dish>> use viruses to carry genes into cellcarry genes into cell

3) Use genes that are active in embryonic 3) Use genes that are active in embryonic stem cell but inactive in skin cellsstem cell but inactive in skin cells

4)Use different combination of 4 genes- 4)Use different combination of 4 genes- genes work by controlling cell genes work by controlling cell

5)After 12-25 days>>injected genes 5)After 12-25 days>>injected genes transformed skin cells into cells with transformed skin cells into cells with key characteristics of ES cells.key characteristics of ES cells.

6)Impossible to differentiate between 6)Impossible to differentiate between these cells and real ES stem cells these cells and real ES stem cells

7) Experiment produced 10-35 converted 7) Experiment produced 10-35 converted cells a.k.a iPS cellscells a.k.a iPS cells

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Advanced Cell Advanced Cell TechnologyTechnology

o Researchers from Advanced Cell Researchers from Advanced Cell Technology- also come up with a way to Technology- also come up with a way to create stem cells without destroying create stem cells without destroying embryosembryos

o Already a procedure used in in-vitro Already a procedure used in in-vitro fertilization known as preimplantation fertilization known as preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)genetic diagnosis (PGD)

o Routine procedure used to determine if Routine procedure used to determine if there are genetic diseases in embryo there are genetic diseases in embryo before implantationbefore implantation

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Preimplantation Preimplantation Genetic DiagnosesGenetic Diagnoses

Procedure involves a 2 day old embryoProcedure involves a 2 day old embryo 8 cell blastocyst – remove one to 8 cell blastocyst – remove one to

examine DNA for genetic screeningexamine DNA for genetic screening Their procedure- place cell into lab dish Their procedure- place cell into lab dish

and force it to replicateand force it to replicate Use one cell for screening andUse one cell for screening and other cell(s) (with patients consent) other cell(s) (with patients consent) for Stem Cellsfor Stem Cells Stems cells were normal Stems cells were normal and differentiated successfully!and differentiated successfully!

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Stem cell research will one day be the Stem cell research will one day be the cure to many things like neurological cure to many things like neurological diseases and spinal cord injuries. Although diseases and spinal cord injuries. Although there are setbacks to research every day, there are setbacks to research every day, researchers will not give up on finding researchers will not give up on finding resolutions to some of life’s most resolutions to some of life’s most important problems. Even though these important problems. Even though these miniscule steps seem insignificant, they miniscule steps seem insignificant, they will only lead to evolutionary steps in the will only lead to evolutionary steps in the world of Stem Cell research.world of Stem Cell research.

Why is all this Why is all this important to the important to the

21st century?21st century?

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BibliographyBibliography _________. (2004) Biomedical Ethics and Reviews: Stem Cell Research. _________. (2004) Biomedical Ethics and Reviews: Stem Cell Research.

Human Press Human Press Inc: New JerseyInc: New Jersey ________.(2004). Stem Cell 101. Retrieved January 03 2008 from ________.(2004). Stem Cell 101. Retrieved January 03 2008 from

http://www.stemcell.umn.edu/stemcell/stemcell101.htmlhttp://www.stemcell.umn.edu/stemcell/stemcell101.html ________. (2007). Stem Cell Therapies Today. Retrieved December 11th ________. (2007). Stem Cell Therapies Today. Retrieved December 11th

2007, from 2007, from http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/stemcells/therapies/index.htmlhttp://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/stemcells/therapies/index.html..

Browniee Christen. (2005) Do No Harm: Stem Cells Created Withought Browniee Christen. (2005) Do No Harm: Stem Cells Created Withought Destroying Destroying Healthy Embryos. Healthy Embryos. Science News p(259). Science News p(259). Retrieved Retrieved December 10th 2007, from December 10th 2007, from Access Science database.Access Science database.

Hamdy, Ronald C. (2006). To Condon or to Condemn? On Ethics of Stem Hamdy, Ronald C. (2006). To Condon or to Condemn? On Ethics of Stem Cell Cell Research. Research. Southern Medical Journal p(1414). Southern Medical Journal p(1414). Retrieved on Retrieved on December 28th 2007, December 28th 2007, from from EBSCOhost database.EBSCOhost database.

Parson B Ann. (2004) The Proteus Effect: Stem Cells and Their Promise Parson B Ann. (2004) The Proteus Effect: Stem Cells and Their Promise for Medicine. for Medicine. Joseph Henry Press.: WashingtonJoseph Henry Press.: Washington

Patrick, Barry. (2007) Hold the EmbryosPatrick, Barry. (2007) Hold the Embryos. Science News p(323).. Science News p(323). Retrieved December Retrieved December 10th 2007, from EBSCOhost database. 10th 2007, from EBSCOhost database.

Scott Thomas Christopher. (2006) Stem Cell Now: From the Experiment Scott Thomas Christopher. (2006) Stem Cell Now: From the Experiment that Shook that Shook the World to New Politics of Life. Pearson Education Inc: the World to New Politics of Life. Pearson Education Inc: New York.New York.

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(11) http://www.abtconsult.com/