Science is moving at such a rapid speed these days, between cloning, gene.
therapy, miracle drugs, exotic therapies, etc. One of the most significant breakthroughs.
came in November 1998, when two separate researchers successfully isolated stem.
cells from human embryos and aborted fetuses. Stem cells are primordial cells of a.
human organism, which are capable of becoming all or most of the 210 different kinds.
of tissues in the human body. Stem cells have been defined as not fully differentiated.
yet to be any particular type of tissue or cell. They range from "totipotent, i.e. ( the.
early stages of the human embryo up to about 4 days after conception.) To pluripotent .
I.e. (a bit older and therefore only capable of being some cells or tissues in the.
body.) As in the 5-7 day blastocyst stage of the early embryo, with decreasing.
capacity in later stages of fetal development and in human beings. .
The impassioned hopes are that these stem cells can be used to great.
advantages. The cautious fears are that innocent and vulnerable human beings are.
destroyed, and needlessly so, in the process.
The debates are raging. Many people are confused about what stem cell research.
really is, and wonder why all the fuss. There are several well documented and well-.
articulated sources of information available on this issue already, so the following is a.
brief overview of some of the major scientific, ethical, pros and cons. .
For centuries humanity has been plagued with numerous diseases, such as the.
black plague, Cancer, AIDS, and other diseases. These horrific, dreaded diseases.
have killed millions of people due to doctors or scientists not having a cure, but thanks.
to a scientific and medical breakthrough these diseases can and will be a thing of the.
past. With this new research scientists are hoping to gain important scientific.
knowledge about embryonic development and its application to related fields; curing.
