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Stem cell treatment and research has been a scientific controversy because of ethical reasons.

Plants have totipotent cells, which means each cell of the plant body has the capacity to divide and form an entire new plant. Consider plant tissue culture, in which an entire new plants is grown from a single cell. This is called totipotency.

Now, animals cells are not totipotent. They are plueripotent, which means they show totipotency for a short span of time, that is, in embryonic stages.

If a method was devised to grow animal cells artificially, that would be quite beneficial to those who require an organ. So scientists have tried to grow different tissues using the embryonic cells.

First of all, we all originate from a single cell, the zygote. It later divides and redivides to form embryo. This embryo then divides and differentiates to form the 250 different typesof cells(not number!).

So basically, stem cell research requires using embronic cells which means living embryos have to be destroyed to form different tissues. This is the reason that it has stirred up such a controversy since it requires destroying a living thing.

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15y ago
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14y ago

Because stem cells are typically collected from aborted fetuses. Supporting stem cell research is seen as supporting abortion.

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Q: Why is stem cell treatment a scientific controversy?
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Continue Learning about General Science

Which is the main benefit of scientific debate for scientists?

There are lots of questions science can't answer, for example if a new technology will be good or bad, a good example for this is stem cell research.


What kind of stem cells can only develop into cells that are closely related to the original stem cell?

Multipotent


What does the inside of a stem cell look like?

It looks like many tiny parts of a normal cell. it has all the normal parts of a cell such as a nucleus, vascule, and cell membrane. it also has cytoplasm.


How could stem cell research affect community?

Stell cell research is broken up into a few parts, embryonic stem cell research which is the controversial one in which they take the cells of an embryo resulting in its death, adult stem cell research, in which scientists would take the cells of a human being (difference between embryonic and adult stem cell researches is that adult stem cell research is when cells are taken anytime after birth). Finally, there is another type of stem cell research called induced pluripotent stem cell research where they, in simple terms, genetically reprogram cells to be other types of cells. This does not involve the death of an embryo. The difference in these types is that embryonic can produce many types of cells, adult produces only a few, and induced pluripotent does the same as embryonic. This research could affect the community in that we would be able regenerate types of cells that otherwise would not be able to such as brain and heart cells. This would be beneficial because this would possibly allow the cure to diseases and health issues that they're currently is no cure for, an example being Alzheimer's (spelling?). This could lead to longer life spans possibly (after much research and time) close to what we consider eternal life, with obviously replacing cells repeatedly which would be very costly to a bank account. Some opponents of stem cell research fear that it could have negative effects on the community. Human cloning is a theoretical possibility of stem cell research that could have big impacts on the way we view one another. Another criticism is the source of stem cells, of which certain types cause the death of an embryo. Anti-abortionists believe that this murder.


What are good ideas for an EPQ on Zoology?

There is loads you can do about animals, for example; Evolution. Animal behavior. Stem cell research

Related questions

How do you get stem cell treatment?

Stem Cell Therapy or Treatment in India & Delhi Capital has shown several promising outcomes for many of the serious illnesses that are currently unresponsive to standard treatments. Talking about Stem cell provider, We Stem Cell Cure Pvt. Ltd. is one of the most trusted and stem cell treatment in India stemcellcure.in


Why is there such a controversy on stem cell therapy?

The controversy isn't over stem cell therapy, it is over embrionic stem cell therapy. Stem cell therapy usually refers to stem cells extracted from the patients own body. Embrionic stem cells are extracted from dead fetuses. Those opposed to embrionic stem cell therapies are worried that it will lead to 'fetus farms', where eggs are fertilized until a fetus is formed, then the fetus is killed to harvest the stem cells. It is an offshoot of the abortion controversy in which the pro-life side largely believes that life begins at conception (egg fertilization). The controversy around stem cell therapy lies in the research in embryonic stem cells. Some people believe that the start of the embryonic stage is when a human being begins and is therefore unethical to destroy this for the stem cells as it is supposedly akin to murder.


What advancement in the filed of genetics has generated a great deal of controversy?

embryonic stem cell research


Is stem cell treatment legal in Australia?

Yes. Stem cell therapy is used to treat several conditions.There are currently many stem cell clinical trials underway in Australia.


What is the logical appeal for Stem Cell Research?

Stem Cell research has influence in diverse medical fields mostly in relation with the partial or almost total regeneration of organs and tissues. There is an increasing interest in its use in the treatment of heart pathologies among other fields.


Controversy of stem cells?

The controversy surrounding stem cells arises out of the need to use stem cells from embryos which then get destroyed.


How is a stem cell beneficial?

stem cells are being used in research , treatment , tissue culture and cloning etc.


Can breast cancer be treated with stem cells?

Stem cell treatment is used to treat advanced breast cancer.


I have hypotony and a damaged retina, also some optic nerve damage, although I had a little sight until the hypotony. Any hope for stem cell treatment?

stem cell treatment as of the moment is a conservative issue whether to continue allowing it or totally ban it. however the answer is yes, almost anything is possible through stem cell research, believe it or not the stem cell treatment could even be a way of stopping aging, all the more hypotony.


I know stem cell treatments are controversial and cutting edge but how does the treatment work?

Stem cells are cells that have the potential to become any kind of cell. So if a person's cells have been damaged, the stem cells can be used to recreate healthy cells. Stem cell treatment is still in the research stage. Studies are currently being conducted to inject stem cells to treat spinal cord injuries.


Why did Gary Green and Freddie Fu skeptical of stem cell treatment?

they didnt now


What are some potential sources of embryonic stem cells for use in research and stem cell treatment?

The umbilical cord has stem cells in it. Baby teeth are another possible source of stem cells.