There are several controversies surrounding stem cells that you may have heard about. There are different views about stem cell research; to others it is wonderful while some want it to stop since they see it as immoral. In stem cell research, a human embryo is developed, used and destroyed for research purposes. Stem cells come in two types, embryonic and non-embryonic. Since embryonic cells yield better results and are easier to extract, they are preferred over the non-embryonic cells, but both are used in medical research. Most of the time the controversies focus on embryonic stem cells.
Research has revealed that most people can either be completely opposed to stem cell research or they may be pro stem cell research in all its forms. Many projects for using stem cell therapies are being worked on by scientists. There are great benefits of stem cell research and therapy which have been outlined in this article. Development of new treatments for common diseases is one of the advantages of stem cell research. Scientists are using stem cell research to try and come up with the treatment of complicated disorders. Among the devastating disorders are Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, diabetes and schizophrenia.
Some of the tested therapies are already in use on real patients whereby they are required to visit a stem cell therapy center close to them to receive the treatment in an outpatient setting. Stem cell research is also being used in growing new organs in the laboratory. Some patients may have diseases requiring an organ transplant. The patients will have to wait on a waiting list for organ donations and some die while still waiting for the organ. Laboratories can use stem cell research to make new organs and tissues by growing them on organ molds and transferring them to the body of the patient requiring it.
Another benefit of stem cell research is to help reduce disorders affecting embryonic cells. The origin of many disorders in babies is in the womb while the baby is an embryo. The disorders may cause problems like pregnancy loss and congenital disabilities. The frequency of embryonic disorders will be reduced through stem cell research as scientists are trying to understand these disorders and find a cure for them.
Prevention of new cell rejection will be possible through stem cell research. A patient faces possible death or inability to continue using a new organ when their body rejects the foreign organ that has been transplanted. Use of the patient’s non-embryonic stem cells by doctors to grow a new organ will be helpful since the synthetic organ will have originated from the cells of the patient. Understanding of the development of cells and how abnormalities occur is possible through stem cell research.