Stem Cells

[JasperDog94]

Where do they get the stem cells for stem cell research?

[Keith7]

aborted fetuses

[JasperDog94]

I was under the impression that they were growing them in test tubes as well. Does anyone know for sure?

[Trashman]

Stem cells are cells found in all, multi-cellular organisms. They they have the ability to renew themselves through mitotic cell division and differentiating into a diverse range of specialized cell types. As stem cells can now be grown and transformed into specialized cells with characteristics consistent with cells of various tissues such as muscles or nerves through cell culture, their use in medical therapies has been proposed. In particular, embryonic cell lines, generated through therapeutic cloning, and highly plastic adult stem cells from the umbilical cord blood or bone marrow are touted as promising candidates.

Bottom line we could build our own spare parts. Stem cells could be havested from your body and used to grow a heart or a liver.

[nobogey72]

Originally posted by JasperDog94
Where do they get the stem cells for stem cell research?

I read somewhere that stem cells can be harvested from umbellical (sp?) cords also.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by Keith7
aborted fetuses


Originally posted by nobogey72
I read somewhere that stem cells can be harvested from umbellical (sp?) cords also.

I'm just trying to get an understanding of the ban that has been on stem cell research and the reasoning behind it.

[Trashman]

The ban is place to prevent the use of embryonic stem cells that are harested from human embryos. (some people believe that life starts at conseption and that harvesting these stem cells from human embyos is in effect taking a life) Because of this ban scientest have been forced to use embronic stems cells from mice and adult stem cells from umbilical cord blood. The blood of the umbilical cord is harvested after the birth of a child and is done on a routine basis at most hospitals. As I understand it, this controversy may be about over because adult stem cells are showing more promise that embryonic stem cells. The only reason for this controversy to continue is due to the fact there are those who belive that if this ban on embryonic stem cells continues it will be used in the courts to ban abortions. Hope this clears up the situation for you some.

[Necks_Fan]

I thougth that they were in spinal cords too?


:confused:

IDK for sure though.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by Trashman
The ban is place to prevent the use of embryonic stem cells that are harested from human embryos. (some people believe that life starts at conseption and that harvesting these stem cells from human embyos is in effect taking a life) Because of this ban scientest have been forced to use embronic stems cells from mice and adult stem cells from umbilical cord blood. The blood of the umbilical cord is harvested after the birth of a child and is done on a routine basis at most hospitals. As I understand it, this controversy may be about over because adult stem cells are showing more promise that embryonic stem cells. The only reason for this controversy to continue is due to the fact there are those who belive that if this ban on embryonic stem cells continues it will be used in the courts to ban abortions. Hope this clears up the situation for you some. That does help some. I was under the impression that we had all the stem cells we needed now without getting them from aborted babies.