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Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are undifferentiated pluripotent cells, meaning they can produce any cell type in the body. This gives them tremendous potential in science and medicine since they can generate specific cell types for use in research or to replace body cells lost due to damage or disease.

Stem Cell Culture

Stem Cell Culture

Stem cell research aims to find ways to use stem cells to regenerate and repair cellular damage. Over time, most adult cells undergo the wear and tear of aging and lose their ability to divide and repair themselves. Stem cells do not display a particular morphology or function. Adult stem cells, which exist as a small subset of cells in most tissues, keep dividing and can differentiate into a number of specialized cells generally formed by that tissue. These cells enable the body to renew and...

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells were first discovered in mice in 1981 by Martin Evans. In 1998, James Thomson identified a method to isolate embryonic stem cells from humans. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are obtained from 3-5 day old embryos that remain unused after an in vitro fertilization procedure.
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different cell types. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are terminally differentiated; however, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they dedifferentiate and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Somatic cells are...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Derivation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells by Immunosurgery

Derivation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells by Immunosurgery

Published on: December 13, 2007

Stem cell research need not be carried out utilizing human embryos.

Salvatore Mancuso¹

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. salmancuso@rm.unicatt.it

Reproductive Biomedicine Online

|April 5, 2003

Summary

Legislation for stem cells is lacking in the EU and Italy. Ethical concerns and risks associated with embryonic stem cells (ESC) favor adult stem cell use for therapies.

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Area of Science:

Biomedical Ethics
Regenerative Medicine
Stem Cell Biology

Background:

Current legislation for stem cell therapies in Italy and the EU is incomplete.
Embryonic stem cells (ESC) present challenges including aneuploidy, tumor formation, and contamination risks.
Adult and cord blood stem cells offer easier accessibility and possess transdifferentiation capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

To analyze the legislative landscape of stem cell research.
To evaluate the scientific and ethical considerations of using embryonic versus adult stem cells.
To advocate for the ethical use of stem cells in therapy.

Main Methods:

Review of existing stem cell legislation and ethical frameworks.
Comparative analysis of the risks and benefits of embryonic stem cells versus adult stem cells.
Philosophical and ethical argumentation regarding the moral status of human embryos.

Main Results:

Significant gaps exist in the comprehensive regulation of stem cell research and therapy.
Embryonic stem cells (ESC) carry inherent risks like teratomas and potential for uncontrolled growth.
Adult stem cells demonstrate plasticity and are more readily available, posing fewer ethical dilemmas.

Conclusions:

Ethical considerations strongly oppose the use of human embryos for stem cell research, viewing them as human life.
The potential risks associated with ESC, contrasted with the advantages of adult stem cells, necessitate a re-evaluation of therapeutic approaches.
Urgent need for clear legislation and ethical guidelines that uphold the dignity of human life from conception.