The Cons And Pros Of Adult Stem Cells
There’s good news and bad news about adult stem cells. The good news is that human trials are officially here for adult stem cell research. As of April 1, 2009, the first stroke patient was treated with his own stem cells. The bad news is that even if his treatment proves to be successful, researchers will still be prompted to run Phase II trials and Phase III trials to determine long-term safety. It could be another 10 years before stem cell therapies are FDA-approved for the masses. Even so, the portent for this relatively new field of medicine is rather exciting.
There are some advantages to using adult stem cells over embryo-derived stem cells. For one, adult cells are easier to harvest, as they can come from skin, muscle, bone marrow and fat. Often those treated with their own stem cells will not suffer immune system rejection. It’s also easier to encourage these already specialized cells to differentiate the way the scientists want them to, which is impressive considering they’re still not 100% sure what causes a cell to become a certain organ or tissue. Lastly, donated adult stemcells clear up the stem cell controversy surrounding the destruction of human embryos in the name of science.
Researchers in China and the US say that adult stem cells could be the key to improving fertility in females. Preliminary testing on mice also shows promise for repairing nerves damaged by multiple sclerosis or corneal defects. Despite the promising findings, Professor Robin Lovell-Badge of the MRC National Institute for Medical Research in London warns, “Except at Disney World, humans are not large mice. This is another chapter in what has been a very controversial story, where some scientists have gone against the dogma which states that in mammals, such as mice and humans, all the progenitor germ cells that could give rise to eggs have already done so by birth.”
What moral grounds are scientists subject to adhere to? This is one of the controversies surrounding adult stem cells. Once techniques for creating a new stem cell are in place, who’s to say the scientist won’t fall naturally into therapeutic cloning or even human cloning? If a human can regrow a limb like a salamander, will there be some so curious as to create a human-animal hybrid? Is there a danger in manipulating germs, diseases and mutagens in Petri dishes that could lead to more resistant strains? Will researchers exercise enough patience to ensure the long-term safety of their products containing human stem cells? Can our earth sustain a population that can live even longer and regenerate? To what extent are we playing God?
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