Stem Cell Research - 825 Words

Stem Cell Research (Research Paper Sample) Content: Stem Cell Research Name Course Date Stem Cell Research Stem cells are the basic building blocks from which the cells of every tissue in the body grow. Because of their unique ability to develop into different types of tissue, they can potentially be used to grow new cells to replace those destroyed or damaged by age, disease or the side effects of treatment for diseases such as cancer.Stem cells can be categorized into adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells are immature cells that divide and then replace dying or damaged cells in body tissues. They are also called somatic stem cells. When the egg and sperm combine, they form a single cell that divides into two cells each of which divides to form a cluster of four cells. This ball of cells is called a blastocyst. The cells in the inner layer of the blastocyst are embryonic stem cells. There are many diseases today for which medical science has no cure. Research into stem cells may off er an answer. Scientists engage in stem cell research, to investigate the basic cells that lead to the development of organisms. The fundamental properties of these cells are investigated in laboratories where these cells are grown. More ethical researches have been advanced in the study of stem cells. One such study is known as Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells or iPS. The iPS can be successfully extracted from adult stem cells. Research on stem cells has nearly unlimited potential for good ends. Various diseases that affect millions worldwide have as their case the disadvantages of cell growth or cell death. Therefore, understanding how cells grow, how they are genetically regulated, and how they develop both normally and abnormally will be key, to therapy. It is this vision of future therapies and this attention of human suffering that ought to lie at the core of the medical endeavor. A correlative research end will be met by research on embryonic development. Stem cell cultures will allow an ability to test toxicity that is pharmaceuticals in early embryos and in human tissues, a task that is dubious in animal models and ethically acceptable in human pregnancies. Stem cell research is of itself a good end since it allows study of the process of genetic diseases at the cellular level, using the full power of recent genomic advances in understanding causality. Many diseases that affect millions worldwide would not only be treated but also cured by the use of tissue transplants. Cardiac diseases, cardiovascular diseases, degeneration, trauma to the spinal, or central nervous system are oblivious first to receive interest. That such tissue transplants have shown promise in early testing in animal models drives this argument into trusting the process in humans. Stem cell research is very much like many other researches on embryos that are already being conducted in medical centers and universities all over the world. Such researches include IVF research in wh ich many eggs are tested, injected with sperm, given growth factors to stimulate growth, and used as tools in teaching physicians their craft as infertility specialists. In many religions, and in secular medicine’s premise, there is a duty to heal. Obligations are correlative to rights. Here, the limited moral status of the in vitro blastocyst determines duties to it, and the relatively greater duties to the ill and vulnerable may be primary ones. Therefore, it is the duty of all medical stakeholders to heal and turning from the possibility of healing would be an abrogation of an essential duty. Benefits of stem cell research are that substantial that they override all the issues that are raised against the methods. All together, stem cell researches give outstanding knowledge on cells and thus human body. References Moore, Pete. Stem Cell Research. New York: Rosen Central, 2012. Devaney, S. Achieving consensus on international ethical oversight of stem cell research. Asian Journal of WTO & International Health Law and Polic...

The Definition of Down Syndrome - Free Essay Example

The definition of Down Syndrome: a genetic condition that results when there is an extra copy of a specific chromosome. But how does this happen? This occurs when an error in cell division results in an extra 21st chromosome, which can be detected before or after birth. Down Syndrome affects 1 in every 700 pregnancies, and the risk is even higher if the mother is over 35 years old. It is considered a genetic disorder, but is not hereditary. People with Down Syndrome look different and act different from the average person. These people can have low muscle tone, short stature, a flat nasal bridge, a protruding tongue, eyes that have an upward slant, and/or white spots on their irises. They also experience developmental delays. They usually have mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, it just depends on the person. This means that they will reach developmental milestones later than their peers. They have trouble learning basic tasks or ideas that are simple for people who do not have a learning disability. People with Down Syndrome often have other health complications. Some include: heart defects, gastrointestinal defects, immune disorders, sleep apnea, obesity, and spinal problems. There is no cure for Down Syndrome. It is considered a chronic illness, because while it cannot be medically treated, you can still live with it. The average life expectancy for a person with Down Syndrome is 60 years old. Only 5% of babies nowadays born with Down Syndrome die by the time of their first birthday. The sooner you begin education with these types of people, the better. While they are slower at learning than most people, that doesnt mean they are completely incapable. There are ways to manage/treat this by hiring specialists to take care of them. Helpful specialists include a speech pathologist, a physical therapist, and an occupational therapist, just to name a few. Primary care pediatricians are also a good idea to coordinate and provide routine childhood care. As for the history of this disease, the first person to give it a name was a British physician named John Langdon Down, who in 1866 called it Mongolism. Down was not accepted as the name until the early 1970s. Professor Jerome Lejeune was the person who discovered the common extra chromosome in 1959. There are many different research organizations for Down Syndrome, but the one I found is called the NICHD, who have supported and conducted research on this disease since its founding. Some research they have done include development of animal models to help study the syndrome, examination of specific genes and gene groups that could play a role in the syndrome, discovering how maternal age plays a part in the disorder, and figuring out ways to diagnose a child prenatally and postnatally. This group just began a program in June called INCLUDE, which aims to understand the critical health and quality of life needs for people with Down Syndrome, and find scientific discoveries to improve the health, well-being, and neurodevelopment of these people as well. In 2017, the funding for the research of Down Syndrome was around 27 million dollars.