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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Derivation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells by Immunosurgery
Published on: December 13, 2007
[The use of embryonic stem cells for medical-therapeutical purposes: ethical issues.]
Flóki Guðmundsson1, Trausti Oskarsson
1Department of family medicine, Landspitali University Hospital, Neshaga 16, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland. stofnfrumur@yahoo.com.
Abstract:
The capacity of self-renewal and differentiation renders stem cells an appealing option for cell replacement therapy. Although stem cells are known to exist in fully differentiated tissues, those derived from embryos have generated greater scientific interest due to their capacity for differentiation. The use of embryos as a source of stem cells raises, however, difficult ethical questions, since removing stem cells from an embryo terminates further development of the embryo. The ethics debate on the use of embryonic stem cells focuses on the biological and ethical status of the embryo and the sanctity of life. This paper reviews various ethical issues pertinent to the use of embryonic stem cells for medical purposes.
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