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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...

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...

CRISPR

CRISPR

Genome editing technologies allow scientists to modify an organism’s DNA via the addition, removal, or rearrangement of genetic material at specific genomic locations. These types of techniques could potentially be used to cure genetic disorders such as hemophilia and sickle cell anemia. One popular and widely used DNA-editing research tool that could lead to safe and effective cures for genetic disorders is the CRISPR-Cas9 system. CRISPR-Cas9 stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short...

Cloning of Dolly the Sheep

Cloning of Dolly the Sheep

The first successfully cloned mammal was Dolly, a sheep, born on 5th July 1996 at Roslin Institute, Scotland. The cloned sheep was named after the American singer Dolly Parton. Dolly lived for seven years and died of respiratory complications, which is speculated to be due to the actual age of her DNA. Because the DNA in cloned cells belongs to an older individual, the cloned individual’s life expectancy may be affected. Indeed, analysis of Dolly’s DNA revealed shorter telomeres than other...

Maintenance of the ES Cell State

Maintenance of the ES Cell State

The cells of the blastocyst inner cell mass only remain pluripotent for a short time. This state of pluripotency and self-renewal can be maintained in embryonic stem (ES) cell culture by adding specific chemicals or growth factors to ensure the cells can continue dividing and later differentiate into different cell types. In some cases, the cells are grown on a feeder layer of differentiated cells, which provides the growth factors and extracellular matrix components necessary for stem cell...

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Freezing and Thawing Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Freezing and Thawing Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Published on: December 24, 2009

Abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and waste.

David A Jensen¹

¹Department of Philosophy, Brigham Young University, 4086 JFSB, Provo, UT 84602, USA. davidj@byu.edu

Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics

|April 10, 2008

Summary

Individuals opposing abortion must also oppose using human embryos for stem cell research. The ethical permissibility of embryo destruction for research is directly linked to views on abortion, regardless of embryo status.

Area of Science:

Bioethics
Moral Philosophy
Medical Ethics

Background:

Debate exists on the ethical permissibility of abortion versus the use of human embryos for stem cell research.
Embryos for stem cell research often differ from those in abortions, such as being in vitro or lacking a future.
These distinctions are often used to justify supporting stem cell research while opposing abortion.

Purpose of the Study:

To analyze the moral consistency between opposing abortion and supporting human embryo use for stem cell research.
To argue that differences between abortion and embryos for research are not morally decisive.
To establish a moral linkage between positions on abortion and embryo research.

Main Methods:

Philosophical argumentation and ethical analysis.

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Examination of moral distinctions between abortion and embryos used in stem cell research.

Logical deduction based on a strong anti-abortion stance.

Main Results:

The differences cited (e.g., in vitro status, lack of future) do not morally justify endorsing embryo research while opposing abortion.
A consistent ethical position against abortion necessitates opposition to the destruction of human embryos for stem cell research.
The ethical considerations of abortion and embryo research are interconnected and cannot be viewed in isolation.

Conclusions:

Individuals holding a strong anti-abortion view are morally committed to opposing the use of human embryos for stem cell research.
The ethical permissibility of destroying embryos for research is contingent upon one's stance on abortion.
This analysis is relevant for bioethicists, policymakers, and the general public engaging with reproductive and research ethics.