Stem cell research

[MonsterHunterMaster]

What are stem cells?

Every organ of our body (the heart or the liver for example) consists (or consisted) of stem cells. When we were little embryos, we already had stem cells in our "bodies". These stem cells evolve when the embryo grows and then they will be a heart, liver or another organ.

So...if we could grab some of these (what already happened) we can theoretically produce artificial organs. But of course there is a problem. We don't know what is going to happen to these stem cells. Means, we don't know if the stem cells are going to be a heart a liver or an other organ. But maybe in some years we will be able to produce artificial organs and then we would be able to cure a lot of diseases. You could walk into a hospital and ask for a new heart. Well, you can already get a new heart, but you have to wait long until you finally get it. You don't have to wait very long for an artificial produced organ. But at this time, another problem consists: the artificial produced organs would "die" much faster. So when we could solve these problems, we would have much easier lives, would'nt we? What do you think about it?

[Balagor]

I really don´t know what to think. I have always been a little gainst prolonging life. I have decided with my self, if I ever need a new organ, I will say no, thus exept that i must die. Will I do so if I really am in the situation? Again I don´t know. It´s a difficult question.

Again I speak about prolonging life, which I think is a bad idea, while we also speak about overpopulation. On the other hand we do also have people who get sick in a young age, and would be in need of another organ. It´s a question full of rationel science an very deep emotions. Very hard to keep them apart.

[brokenergy]

Let me start off by stating what stem cells are. Stem cells are cells that are not 'programed' like other cells and could be 'programed' to perform tasks such as to protect the body and organs from the physical environment (which is skin). There are two different stem cells depending on where it is obtained, adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Currently most countries in this field of research use adult stem cell at 'their ability to divide or self-renew indefinitely, and generate all the cell types of the organ from which they originate, potentially regenerating the entire organ from a few cells' Took from Wikipedia, while embryonic stem cells (the more controversial one) is limited to only a few nations. Embryonic stem cell are cell that are fertilized after a few days and when they are 4-5 days old are destroyed and the cells that are incubated are used to find ways of improving gene therapy for those with genetic disorders like MS (no not Microsoft) or Parkinson's disease.

 

The reason that it is so controversial is that you are destroying a being and many pro life groups are opposed to the whole research all together. (Note: Let us not go this subject and keep religion out of this I only stated why some people are opposed to it) Many nations including all of Africa (with the exception of South Africa), all of South America (with the exception of Brazil), New Zealand, many Middle Eastern nations and many American states such as Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, North Dakota and South Dakota have banned the practice while others like Australia, most of Europe, China, Japan, South Korea and surprisingly Iran promote the practice, with Iran having some the most liberal laws of stem cell research and cloning in the Middle East.

 

In the publishing of stem cell research America comes first with 42% of the published articles with Germany second with 10.2%. This is a very important field of science and could answer many questions about stem cells and could lead to new technology that could help people suffering from genetic disorders, people who are in need of transplants (transplant shortage around the world) and new ways of fighting cancer. So I'm very supportive to help people who are sick and there is limited opinions out there so why not help people who deserve a second chance at life.