Stem Cells

What are Stem Cells?

What are Stem Cells?

• Stem Cells: Cells that do not yet have a specific function or job in the organism.

Where do we get Stem Cells?

Where do we get Stem Cells?

• Adult Stem Cells: found in bone marrow, circulating blood, baby teeth, and umbilical cord blood.

Where do we get Stem Cells?

• Adult Stem Cells: Donated by living persons with their consent and without any harm to the donor.

Where do we get Stem Cells?• Embryonic Stem Cells: Found in a

developing human embryo, 3-5 days after fertilization when it is about 150 cells big. Stem cells are found inside this cluster.

Where do we get Stem Cells?

• Embryonic Stem Cells: Donated by fertility clinics. These unused embryos are donated with the couple’s knowledge and consent.

Why do Scientists want Stem Cells?

Why do we want Stem Cells?

• Stem cells are currently used to treat over 70 diseases including leukemia, breast cancer, anemia, and some immune diseases.

Why do we want Stem Cells?

• In the future, stem cells may also be able to treat Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, stroke, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, heart disease, and burns.

Why do we want Stem Cells?

• Many public figures are in support of stem cell research.

Why are Stem Cells Controversial?

Why the Controversy?• Adult stem cells

– Pros: No harm to donor when they are collected

– Cons: only have the potential to become about 10 different types of cells and they may be rejected by the recipient.

Why the Controversy?• Embryonic stem cells

– Pros: Can potentially develop into any cell type, will not be rejected by recipient.

– Cons: stem cells are removed from the embryo, destroying the embryo before it can develop.

Stem Cells Found 3-5 Days after fertilization

Why the Controversy?• Scientists believe that embryonic stem

cells can be developed into any of the 200 types of cells with little chance of rejection by the recipient.

Government Guidelines• Government funded embryonic stem cell

research is currently allowed, but only if the couple has given consent to use the extra embryos from IVF treatments.

• New embryos may not be created just to be researched. (No cloning)

What does your family think?

Should the US continue to allow research on embryonic stem

cells?

What do you think?

1. Should the US continue to allow research on embryonic stem

cells?

2. Should cloning be allowed on humans to further advance stem

cell research?(The stem cells would be taken from the embryo 3-5 days after fertilization and the clone would

not be born.)