Stem Cell Research

Throughout human civilization, science has challenged religion and repeatedly proved itself (e.g. Darwin, Copernicus). Sullivan (2005) stated, “As much as religious leaders want to push scientists to think more about the morality of their work, scientists are pushing religious leaders back to the basic tenets of their faiths, where they scramble to make sense of a world teetering on the razor's edge of irreversible change.” Although the majority of Americans are Christian and share a view against cloning and stem cell research, these pioneering and potentially life giving medical technologies should be federally funded.

Stem cell research has immense potential to effect positively the lives of every human alive and yet to be born. Indeed it could be man’s greatest triumph, prolonging life or even conquering death itself. How are such “miracles” possible? First one must understand what a stem cell is (e.g. Figure 1). The common definition of a stem cell is one that can produce any of the 220 types of cells in the human body. There are actually three types of stem cells being researched today. Embryonic stem cells are the ones described above, and are found in all human embryos. Adult stem cells are found in human adults and are similar to embryonic stem cells in that they can produce many types of human cells. Finally, induced pluripotent stem cells are specially treated ordinary cells (e.g. skin cells) that are manipulated in such a way that they behave similarly to embryonic stem cells.

Figure 1

Diagram of a stem cell

[pic]Note. From The National Academies. (2009). Stem cell basics – What is a stem cell? Retrieved May 4, 2009, from http://www.dels.nas.edu

Embryonic stem cell research is still relatively young and has not reached the human trial stage. Adult stem cell research however, has already reached the human trial stage and has been successful at treating cardiac infarction (replacing dead heart cells). Opponents of embryonic stem cell...