Stem Cell Research
An Ethical Issue
Links to interesting Stem Cell websites
Potential Advantages and Moral Dilemmas
Stanford Heart Disease Research
Student Profile [file:///C:/Documents and Settings/Richard Fierros/My Documents/My Webs/photogallery/photo6334/real.htm]
I am Suzanne Fierros RN. A 31year old RN-BSN student at the University of North Alabama, making this web page for NU 418, Concepts, Issues and Theories. I chose stem cell research to make a web page on because of the ethical controversial issues which surround this subject, plus, I find it very interesting. I will neither agree or disagree weather stem cell research is good, but this is an informational web page and I will display advantages and disadvantages to this issue.
Prior to my nursing career I was a Laboratory Tech in the United States Navy, and received my degree from George Washington University, while fulfilling my obligation to the Navy I went to nursing school an received my associates degree from Southwest Tennessee community college December 2001. I then obtained my RN license in April 2002. Once I received my license I finished my obligation to the Navy and obtained a job with Methodist health care systems. I took one year off of school and decided to start a family. My Daughter, Elizabeth, was born January 13, 2003. When Elizabeth was 6months old I decided it was time to return to school and obtain my goal of a BSN. Two weeks after school began I found out I was pregnant with my second child, Leopoldo. Leopoldo was born January 27, 2004. I have found school to be challenging while raising two small children, but I can say I would not change a thing.
What is a Stem Cell?
According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth edition a stem cell is an unspecialized cell, such as a blood cell. The National Institutes of Health goes into a bit more detail, stating that stem cells are unspecialized cells that renew themselves for long periods through cell division and they can be induced to become a cell with special functions.
Where do we get stem cells?
Why Research stem cells? (Advantages)
There are three reasons why we are researching stem cells. First, studying embryonic stem cells gives us information about the events that occur during development, and how unspecified cells become specific. If we could better understand these we may be able to control medical conditions like cancer. Also, we could use stem cells to test new drugs and the affects it will have just as cancer cell lines are used to screen potential anti-tumor drugs. Lastly, but definitely not least is the potential use of stem cells to be used to treat diseases such as Parkinson's, spinal cork injuries, heart disease, and diabetes. These are the reasons why people want to research stem cells
Why Not Research Stem cells? (Disadvantages)
Due to the ethical challenges associated with the research. These ethical concerns and issues arise when we start to speak about how to obtain these embryonic stem cells. Stem cells are obtained four different ways. They may come from the surplus embryos in the vitro fertilization labs, or from uniting eggs and sperm to create embryos in the lab for the sole purpose of researching them. Also, stem cells are obtained from embryos created through somatic cell nuclear transfer, and this is a concern for people and a worry that it is a cloning technique. Lastly, the stem cells are obtained from aborted fetuses. When is enough to much? That is what many people are asking.