Stem Cell research

[Doctrine1st]

Stem Cell research is something I am rather ignorant about, but from what I have read so far, during the in vito fertilization process many embryos are created. Once the client becomes pregnant in 90% of the cases, the embryos are destoyed. As I said I don't know too much about it, but if this is the case, is there controversy with using these embryos? Could someone explain the opposition?

 

[Archivist]

Stem Cell research is something I am rather ignorant about, but from what I have read so far, during the in vito fertilization process many embryos are created. Once the client becomes pregnant in 90% of the cases, the embryos are destoyed. As I said I don't know too much about it, but if this is the case, is there controversy with using these embryos? Could someone explain the opposition?

I favor stem cell research and frankly I'm with you, I don't undersatnd why some people oppose it.

I cures for diseases such as diabetes are discovered using stem cell research, I wonder how many of the people currently opposed to it will get in line for the cure.

 

[Buzz Dixon]

A stem cell is a cell which has not yet specialized. As a fertilized egg begins dividing, it forms stem cells. Later these cells become the various tissues of the body.

Adult stem cells are usually blood cells that have been boached back into a stem cell state so they can be manipulated into other forms of cells. This therapy is common and in use today.

Placental stems cells come from the placenta of new born babies. This therapy is common and in use today.

Embryonic stem cells come from embryos fetilized in vitro. So far none of the existing embryonic stem cell lines have been used in therapy.

Many people do not think it is either moral or ethical to deliberately create human embryos if an effort isn't going to be made to bring all the embryos to term. They especially think it's a bad idea to deliberately create such embryos with the sole purpose of conducting medical experiments.

Since Adult and placental stem cell therapies and research already exist, it's fair to ask why embryonic stem cell research is needed at all.

 

[Archivist]

A stem cell is a cell which has not yet specialized. As a fertilized egg begins dividing, it forms stem cells. Later these cells become the various tissues of the body.

Adult stem cells are usually blood cells that have been boached back into a stem cell state so they can be manipulated into other forms of cells. This therapy is common and in use today.

Placental stems cells come from the placenta of new born babies. This therapy is common and in use today.

Embryonic stem cells come from embryos fetilized in vitro. So far none of the existing embryonic stem cell lines have been used in therapy.

Many people do not think it is either moral or ethical to deliberately create human embryos if an effort isn't going to be made to bring all the embryos to term. They especially think it's a bad idea to deliberately create such embryos with the sole purpose of conducting medical experiments.

Since Adult and placental stem cell therapies and research already exist, it's fair to ask why embryonic stem cell research is needed at all.

But the fact is that the embryos are there. They are being created for purposes of reproduction, not for the sole purpose of medical experiments. They should be used.

 

[HRE]

A stem cell is a cell which has not yet specialized. As a fertilized egg begins dividing, it forms stem cells. Later these cells become the various tissues of the body.

Adult stem cells are usually blood cells that have been boached back into a stem cell state so they can be manipulated into other forms of cells. This therapy is common and in use today.

Placental stems cells come from the placenta of new born babies. This therapy is common and in use today.

Embryonic stem cells come from embryos fetilized in vitro. So far none of the existing embryonic stem cell lines have been used in therapy.

Many people do not think it is either moral or ethical to deliberately create human embryos if an effort isn't going to be made to bring all the embryos to term. They especially think it's a bad idea to deliberately create such embryos with the sole purpose of conducting medical experiments.

Since Adult and placental stem cell therapies and research already exist, it's fair to ask why embryonic stem cell research is needed at all.

Adult stem cell lines can be regressed, but poorly. Also, they have shortened telomeres.

Embryonic stem cell, FROM EMBRYOS DESTINED FOR THE GARBAGE CAN ANYWAYS, have not differentiated at all. They are the longest-lasting, most adaptable lines.

It is like the difference between doing a factory restore on your computer (which leaves some junk behind and your disk is still segmented) as opposed to getting a new computer that Best Buy was going to throw away when it had never been opened.

 

[Phillip Lorenz]

God bless us, and please lead us in the correct direction.

 

[~Wisdom Seeker~]

The only thing I was concerned with, with this proposition initiative was the possibility that human embryo's would be created specifically for this research only. It appears by the way the proposition is worded that this will not be the case.

As I understand it, Stem Cell research is about 20 years from any practical application. (such as most medical advancement) This is just a funding measure and a decision of who would be regulating and overseeing it by committee.

I'm for anything that would help to advance medicine and reduce human suffering. Many of the diseases it would be used to combat are heretofor without a cure. As long as no baby's (embryo's) are going to be hurt to advance medicine. I don't see what the harm is.

If we're going to take an ethical stance against embryo's being created, then shouldn't we be against any baby making that isn't done the old fashioned way? And if we're going to be extremist about that, aren't their other issues regarding procreation that are also a waste? Maybe I'm ignorant about this. But from reading it, I don't see what all the fuss is about.

 

[BarbB]

...
If we're going to take an ethical stance against embryo's being created, then shouldn't we be against any baby making that isn't done the old fashioned way? And if we're going to be extremist about that, aren't their other issues regarding procreation that are also a waste? Maybe I'm ignorant about this. But from reading it, I don't see what all the fuss is about.

What we should insist on is that huge numbers of eggs NOT be harvested and large numbers of embryos created. Instead, procedures should harvest only the number of eggs which will be fertilized and implanted. No extras, no ethical problems!

 

[trunks2k]

What we should insist on is that huge numbers of eggs NOT be harvested and large numbers of embryos created. Instead, procedures should harvest only the number of eggs which will be fertilized and implanted. No extras, no ethical problems!

Extra embryos are made because they don't know how many are going to be needed until a good implantation takes place. It's much less invasive to make a larger group of embryos in one shot rather than make a small group, find out that none of them take hold, then have to do another group, etc, etc. Plus some people opt to donate the extra embryos to couples who do not have the option of making their own embryo.

 

[jesusfreak3786]

Extra embryos are made because they don't know how many are going to be needed until a good implantation takes place. It's much less invasive to make a larger group of embryos in one shot rather than make a small group, find out that none of them take hold, then have to do another group, etc, etc. Plus some people opt to donate the extra embryos to couples who do not have the option of making their own embryo.

Until this problem can be afaectivly solved. No embryos should be made. As soon as the egg and sperm come together and form a cell, It becomes a human life. Think of the ameba it is a singel cell living organisim, it is alive, so is the embryo. I definitly don't agree with stem cell reaserch and I don't agree with letting all those babys in the form of an embryo die. For whatever reason.

 

[Randall McNally]

What we should insist on is that huge numbers of eggs NOT be harvested and large numbers of embryos created. Instead, procedures should harvest only the number of eggs which will be fertilized and implanted. No extras, no ethical problems!

This is odd thinking. I mean, really, do you think doctors harvest additional embryos simply to create stem-cell dilemmas? Fact is, conception via any means - natural or artificial - is hugely inefficient. At least half of all fertilization events are inviable and result in spontaneous abortions. Embryos are implanted en masse because it might take hundreds of procedures to do them one-at-a-time.

The faint light at the end of the tunnel, however, is that zygotic inviability is usually caused by a harmful genetic mutation in one of the gametes. Perhaps gene therapy will dramatically improve efficiency, but not anytime soon.

 

[Archivist]

Until this problem can be afaectivly solved. No embryos should be made. As soon as the egg and sperm come together and form a cell, It becomes a human life. Think of the ameba it is a singel cell living organisim, it is alive, so is the embryo. I definitly don't agree with stem cell reaserch and I don't agree with letting all those babys in the form of an embryo die. For whatever reason.

Yes, but right now the embryos exist and they are simply being disposed of, so why not use the stem cells for research that could perhaps save lives.

 

[jesusfreak3786]

Yes, but right noe=w the embryos exist and they are simply being disposed of, so why not use the stem cells for research that could perhaps save lives.

Think of the babies end it all!!! Adopt.

 

[Archivist]

Think of the babies end it all!!! Adopt.

Do you think that all the embryos that now exist are going to be adopted?

 

[Nienor]

Please Clarify-
They create the embryos, and then what happens? do they pick one and let the others die, then use the dead ones for research; Or do the embryos they use die in the process of creating them?

 

[jesusfreak3786]

Do you think that all the embryos that now exist are going to be adopted?

No I'm saying untill they can succsesfully bring to term or at least gestate all the embryos they souldn't do it. There are a lot of babies up for adoption and it cost about the same.

 

[Randall McNally]

Please Clarify-
They create the embryos, and then what happens? do they pick one and let the others die, then use the dead ones for research; Or do the embryos they use die in the process of creating them?

More like the latter. To be extremely non-technical, medical scientists put a bunch of embryos in a test tube, dump a bunch of sperm in, then wait to see how many fertilization events occur. If they get a high number, often multiple embryos will be implanted - because there's no way to determine individual embryonic viability - and the rest will be frozen. For this reason, we sometimes see multiple births from IVF when multiple embryos are viable.

 

[Randall McNally]

No I'm saying untill they can succsesfully bring to term or at least gestate all the embryos they souldn't do it.

This is just not a realistic goal. Spontaneous abortion is nature's way of dealing with deleterious mutations. It works the same with IVF.

There are a lot of babies up for adoption and it cost about the same.

Actually, there are a lot of children up for adoption. Babies are relatively rare, especially the white, healthy ones that everyone seems to want so badly.

 

[Nienor]

More like the latter. To be extremely non-technical, medical scientists put a bunch of embryos in a test tube, dump a bunch of sperm in, then wait to see how many fertilization events occur. If they get a high number, often multiple embryos will be implanted - because there's no way to determine individual embryonic viability - and the rest will be frozen. For this reason, we sometimes see multiple births from IVF when multiple embryos are viable.

do the ones they freeze usually die? and are those the ones that are used?

 

[trunks2k]

More like the latter. To be extremely non-technical, medical scientists put a bunch of embryos in a test tube, dump a bunch of sperm in, then wait to see how many fertilization events occur. If they get a high number, often multiple embryos will be implanted - because there's no way to determine individual embryonic viability - and the rest will be frozen. For this reason, we sometimes see multiple births from IVF when multiple embryos are viable.

You have it kinda wrong. First of all embryos are already fertilized eggs, you don't need sperm for embryos that already exist. Eggs are harvested from the woman, and sperm is harvested from the guy. The egg and sperm are then combined in a petri dish (last I knew of). I think sometimes the sperm is injected directly into the egg, but don't quote me on that. Of course they make several embryos. A few of them, IIRC, are then implanted into the woman. Out of that few, 1 may take hold, occassionally more than 1 take hold. If it takes hold, the other embryos are stored for use in someone else (if they are donated) or are disposed of.