Stem Cell - Research Paper Example

? Stem Cell Research Patrick Fern ENC 1102 Rebecca Sullivan April 10 Work Count: 3,054 The stem cells of an embryo are fascinating biological phenomena that can reproduce as giving rise to all types of body cells. The main aim of scientists and researchers in stem cell technology is usually to examine and investigate the development of a cell to find out the ways that stem cells can be repaired and replaced in rebuilding damaged tissues. This development can be crucial in reversion and prevention of injuries of spinal cord, Parkinson and diabetes. Despite the success and importance attributed to the research, the research has faced many criticism and support at the same time. This paper analyzes the two points of view of embryonic stem cell research technology. The ability of stem cells to produce all the types of cells is known as ‘pluripotency’, which occurs to cells in their earlier period before the beginning of cell specialization. These can give a consistent supply of the specialized cells that can be used for disease modeling, basic research, and future cell replacement therapies. Stem Cell Research has the ability to reproduce more Embryonic Stem Cells by making properties of tetracarcinoma, tumor, as well as the properties of basic tissues for teeth, hair and gut. Teratocarcinomas have unspecialized cells that were popularly referred to ‘cancer cells’ in the 1970s. They alone can almost all specialized tumor cells. In particular, within the same period, it was discovered that mouse embryos can be extracted from the uterus and used for synthesis of other tissues due to their pluripotency. These observations were the foundations that gave rise to the idea of synthesizing pluripotent stem cells from the embryos (Evans). Stem cell technology became successful in 1981 with the experimental group also involved human beings. The Embryonic stem cells were made from the early embryos referred to as blastocyts, which is a stage before implantation. The blastocysts are made up of 34 out of 100 unspecialized cells. They form the pioneers of the whole body if embryo ever implants. The pluripotent cells of an embryo can never hold themselves once they are implanted , instead they tend change into specialized cells through a process known as differentiation. However, this may rather different in the laboratory where the state of self-renewal can be established leading to cell multiplication without differentiation. The embryonic stem cells’ self-renewal is highly dependent on precise signals known as ‘growth factors’. Hence, an artificial condition is created; if the mouse Embryonic Stem cells are put back into the blastocysts, before halting the self-renewal. The cells then proceed to the phase of normal development where they are differentiated into all types of cells giving birth to a fetus. Consequential animals can make a properly functional Embyonic Stem cell that can be taken down from progenecy all across their generation called chimaeras (Huntly and Gilliland). Stem Cell Research is crucial in high-quality manuscripts that mainly focus on applications and anatomy of stem cell research. Stem cell research gives an exclusive insight into stem cells, which comprises of tissue-specific stem cells, embryonic stem cells, developmental studies, cancer stem cells, translational research, and stem cell genomes. The procedure of DNA transcription, which is also responsible for synthesis of messenger RNA (also called mRNA) templates, is the process that goes in the opposite direction with DNA to make equivalent big noncoding IncRNAs (RNAs). These RNAs are used for protein synthesis. Furthermore, the IncRNAs and mRNAs are transliterated together as the stem cells differentiate into other cell types. Elsevier affirms that this astounding finding of understanding the regulation and organization of gene can change the whole vision of life. Many studies have been conducted in the field of protein-coding genes. Richard Young, a biology professor at MIT, explains that researchers believe that much more could be expected to be accomplished through stem cell research such as such as the realization that genes appear in pairs, which cannot be accomplished in other ways. Any of the two thousand protein coding genes that exist in human stem cells at any given time and an upstream of IncRNA, are also transliterated (Huntly and Gilliland). The findings of Young are printed in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ((PNAS), which say that through transliteration of machinery, DNA is attached at several areas known as ‘promoters’. Promoters go in one direction only to make mRNAs from the protein-coding genes. These RNAs are not only protein templates, but are also elongated by transliteration. Regardless of the significant role in disease development and gene expression, scientists have now acquired significant information about the initiation of IncRNA transliteration ("Stem Cell Institute: Regenerative Stem Cell Therapies") In a detailed study into the mouse and human embryonic cells, Young and his team established that most IncRNA genes are found in close association with the mRNA genes. The dictation of almost sixty five percent of these IncRNAs comes from the active promoters linked with mRNAs’ genes and goes ‘upstream’ in an entirely different direction from promoter ("Stem Cell Institute: Regenerative Stem Cell Therapies"). Once the transliteration machinery gets attached to promoter, it can be manipulated in a given direction and dictate the mRNAs and the neighboring IncRNA as they move in completely different directions. The researchers also noticed that mRNA and IncRNA pair almost in a similar manner. This transliteration of the paired IncRNAs and mRNAs is either improperly regulated properly or unregulated altogether. This tells a lot about the relationship between the transliteration of IncRNAs and mRNAs (Prusa, and Marton) A postdoctoral researcher of Young Lab and a co-author of paper in PNAS, Alla Sigova, presumes that stem cell research is an important technological breakthough. A unifying principle of IncRNAs and mRNAs production may pave the way to further study into the miss-regulation of IncRNA of a disease. For instance, some of the mRNAs are usually unregulated in cancer implying that the partners of IncRNA can also lead to cancer (Prusa, and Marton) The Supreme Court came up with a destructive and bizarre lawsuit to stop the government from financing the embryonic stem cell research. The Supreme Court nullified the case putting a stop to three years of commotion that prevented many scientists from venturing into such an area of uncertainty due to questions about the legality stem cell research. There were many questions raised regarding the federal funding of Stem Cell research (The Opinion Pages). Since 1996, Federal government had forbidden the federal financing of such research possing the practice as destruction of the embryo. However, the Obama administration, just like Clinton’s, contended that stem cells research leads to destruction of embryo. Two researchers, however, presented a case in court arguing that the adult stem cells research is also possible (The Opinion Pages). In recent years, scientists have progressively turned the stem cell procedure that involves extracting the stem cells without harming or destroying the embryos. This trend has been hastened by proceedings over the embryonic stem cells. Most critics of the embryo research ban argue that week-old blastocysts are not yet human beings such that the extraction of the blastocysts for medical reasons does not necessary warranty the destruction of human life. One-week old embryos are usually a cluster of cells that have not yet implanted in uterus. Some scientists and researchers bear the idea that embryo, as perceived by law agencies, is not a person until it is at least two weeks old when it becomes a primitive streak that is usually a first sign of development of the nervous system. Many religious groups bolster the stem cell research of embryos; whereas many Jewish, Protestant and Islamic theologians do not believe an embryo as young as a human being (News). Moreover, most critics of the embryo research ban have pointed out that embryo research poses numerous challenges. The critics worry that the ban on the research might interfere with scientific activities and innovations and advances in stem cell for better disease treatment. On the other hand, opponents of the embryo stem cell research have argued along with anti-abortion and religious groups, citing that embryos are human beings with the same rights as fully grown human beings and also bear the same protection against abuse. The antagonists say that life begins at the time of conception and when an egg is fertilized by a sperm marking the beginning of a new life. In this regard, the obliteration of an embryo is killing of human kind. The anti-abortion groups also say that stem cell research is an advanced form of aborted fetuses (News). Pope John Paul II condemned procedures such as infanticide, euthanasia, and most lately, the proposals for manufacture of research aims of the human embryos, citing them as devastating procedures. The Pope further posited that a virtuous and free society must condemn the practices that violate and devalue human life at any phase from the conception until the demise (News), stem cell research included. Similarly, in 1999, legal scholars, bioethics, and scientists rejected the idea of embryonic stem cell research on the grounds that this kind of research is both needless and immoral (News). Some proponents of the research contest that recent research studies show that mature stem cells are versatile than formerly thought, with scientists and researchers contending that it is possible to obtain stem cells from mature individuals. On the contrary, the advocates of this research also posit that the governmental involvement in the research will enhance the number of brilliant scientists and researchers who can study embryonic cells, and therefore augment the pace of research (News). If the ban is lifted from stem cell research, it will permit the federal government to get a better overview of embryonic research. Proponents of the research also elaborate that according to studies by the federal government including ethical oversight and peer review, the main fault pertaining to the research lies in the standard guideline for the practice. President Obama lifted the restrictions on Stem Cell Research that was in place for eight years imposed by President George W. Bush. The decision by the government to lift the restrictions was aimed at controlling the stem cell research in a number of ways. The executive order was to provide scientists and researchers in the United States same latitude and flexibility as they do to other investigators and researchers abroad for the development and research of such stem cell therapies and also many treatments for such severe ailments. Considering the potential of this research, it is equally correct and ethical to develop therapies that will provide cure, with the assistance of frozen embryos in vitro fertilization clinics that cannot be made redundant. Sanyei proposes that failure by the government to support and fund is one of the ways of delaying the innovation of new and modern technology, which can be vital for improving human life (Bigelow). The Chief executive of San Diego Connect, Duane Roth asserts that the modern society is a pluralistic society and has to regard all practical viewpoints in protecting humanity. Stem Cell research is one way to show that State is doing its best to limit scientific discovery and innovation (Bigelow). The Chief Executive and President of Biocom, Joe Panetta viewed President’s orders on this embryonic stem cell research as a vital step in permitting the new technology to prosper and establish. There are several new ventures for this technology that goes from curing some of the lethal diseases to gene therapy, as well as regeneration of tissues. Innovations in this field are beyond one’s expectations and all the work that was first done in California has taken California scientists and researchers at the forefront of research globally. The government’s effort in the research is also evident in its support for the Sanford Consortium for the Regenerative Medicine scheduled to start the construction of a new building to improve the work of the local experts in the stem cell research and science from Salk, Burnham, UC San Diego and Scripps. They are balanced leaders in innovative technology and they will be in best position to influence additional funding by the federal government via the National Institutes of Health (Bigelow). President Obama’s decision to lift the ban on the federal funding of stem cell research can be deemed as a blessing to the industry. The industry can now benefit from Congress and Presidential backing that has set aside NIH budget on research by a further ten million dollars over two years, providing adequate opportunity for innovation and research in embryonic stem cells. This idea will make the industry much more competitive than it already is with the countries abroad and will also give American researchers and scientists a chance to enter the work field and broaden their horizons. It will make new embryonic stem cell research technologies in research universities and institutes and will gauge the creation of new enterprises for extension of research and growth (MNT). Works Cited Andrea-Romana, P and E Marton. “Expressing cells in human amniotic fluid: a new source for stem cell research?” Human Reproduction, Oford Journals (2003). Bigelow, B V. “What Lifting The Federal Ban on Stem Cell Research Means: Our Xconomists Offer Some Thoughts.” 10 March 2009. Xconomy. 7 Feb 2013 . Elsevier. “Stem Cell Research.” n.d. Open Access Options. 7 Feb 2013 . Evans, M. “Stem Cell Research.” n.d. Embo. 7 Feb 2013 FOXNews.com. . “The Cases For and Against Stem Cell Research.” 9 Aug 2001. Fox News,. 7 Feb 2013 . Huntly, A, c Brian and D Gilliland. “Leukaemia stem cells and the evolution of cancer-stem-cell research." PERSPECTIVES. Nature Publishing Group, n.d. Web. 7 Feb 2013. Read More