Literature Review-2

Evans 1
Grace Evans
Professor Joyce Barnes
English 1201.505
21 March 2021
Literature Review
Before a cell becomes specialized, meaning, before the cell has a specific function in the
body, it is called a stem cell. These cells are being explored by medical professionals to be put
to use in the body to help cure disease, or help the body maintain homeostasis. This study is
called stem cell research. Stem cell research has significantly impacted the medical field in a
positive way. How has stem cell research impacted the medical field positively?
The exploration of stem cells has come a long way over the years. Beginning with only
the use of two stem cells types (embryonic stem cells and non embryonic stem cells), the field
has grown to be much more vast, and much more successful. According to the University of
Nebraska Medical Center, a 1981 breakthrough, caused a drastic change in stem cell
exploration, making the usage more ethical, and more easy, through growth in a laboratory
setting. The cells grown in this laboratory setting are called induced pluripotent stem cells
(iPSCs). Although there are multiple different types of stem cells, scientists emphasize they
have the potential ability to rehabilitate stroke victims, victims of brain injuries, those with
learning defects, Alhezimers, Parkinson's disease, baldness, blindness, deafness, missing
teeth, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, diabetes, and potentially cancer.
There are three main types of stem cells currently in use, each with personal pros, and
potential ethical cons. The three types of cells are adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells, and
induced pluripotent stem cells. The University of Nebraska Medical Center argues that adult
stem cells pose no major ethical concerns, and that embryonic stem cells and induced
pluripotent stem cells pose ethical concerns. Adult stem cells are not as heavily researched
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as the other two types, but there is still plentiful information on the subject. These cells are able
to be reprogrammed, and they are less likely to be rejected while being used in a transplant.
The only major con of this type of stem cell is that they cannot be grown for long periods of time,
their shelf life in a laboratory is often very short. Embryonic stem cells, on the contrary, have a
much longer shelf life. They can be maintained and grown for over a year in a laboratory setting.
Unlike adult stem cells, embryonic cells are more likely to be rejected during a transplant.
Embryonic cells do pose ethical issues, they are considered to be the most heavily debated of
the different types. To acquire the cells, an embryo must be destroyed, this is a risk that female
donors must consider. Induced pluripotent stem cells are much easier to use in transplants, due
to the fact that they are very compatible with most recipients.
California's Stem Cell Agency explains how stem cells become specialized, just as
Rebecca Dresser reports in her manuscript from the US National Library of Medicine National
Institutes of Health. Both authors explain how a stem cell must be programmed to become a
specialized adult cell, and when they mature, they replace damaged tissues caused by disease
or injury. Some people think that this replacement is unethical, either from the harvesting
process of stem cells, or the fact that this rapid rehabilitation is “playing god” in a sense.
Injuries/diseases that often require long periods of time to recover (if at all possible for these
recoveries) are sped up to a 2-3 week average time span for healing.
When mentioning that stem cells are harvested from an embryo, there are many
common misconceptions. The most common misconceptions are that the harvesting process
involves abortion of a fetus, or cloning of cells, which is not the case for either scenario. A
female egg, and a male sperm cell, are fertilized, creating an ideal embryo for implantation. This
occurs in a petri dish, before the fertilized egg becomes a fetus. Implantation will not occur if the
embryo is not deemed fit, after extensive research.
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Ethically speaking, those who disapprove of the usage/research of stem cells are
typically religious, government officials, bioethicists, patient advocates, and some “old school”
scientists (Dresser). They disapprove of this method because cells belonging to someone else
are being used to cure your own injuries/disease. They view this as an ungodly act. They
believe that healing should be natural, and from your own body.
Without the use of stem cells, there would be no major advancement in modern day
medicine. The usage of stem cells has opened doors to exploration of many cures for diseases
thought to be incurable (Balkan J. Genet). The process of using stem cells appears to be the
future of medicine, and treatment.
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Works Cited
California's Institute for Regenerative Medicine. "The Power of Stem Cells."
The Power of Stem Cells, California's Stem Cell Agency, Feb. 2016,
www.cirm.ca.gov/patients/power-stem-cells. Accessed 7 Mar. 2021.
Dresser, Rebecca. "Stem Cell Research as Innovation: Expanding the Ethical
Policy Conversation." U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes
of Health, PMC, 1 Jan. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2941662/.
Accessed 7 Mar. 2021.
Stanford Medicine. "Unregulated Artery Cell Growth May Drive Atherosclerosis,
Stanford Medicine Research Shows." Stanford Medicine News Center, June
2020. AccessMedicine, med.stanford.edu/stemcell/news.html. Accessed 7 Mar.
2021.
University of Nebraska Medical Center. "Importance of Stem Cells." University of
Nebraska Medical Center, University of Nebraska, www.unmc.edu/stemcells/
educational-resources/importance.html. Accessed 7 Mar. 2021.
Knoepfler, Paul. Stem Cells: An Insider's Guide. New Jersey: World Scientific
2013, 2013. Sinclair Library, New Jersey: World Scientific 2013,
eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=1&sid=8ecf0be7-525c-463f-8b64-4ba520870
d32%40sessionmgr4007&bdata=JnNp
dGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#AN=scc.b1599118&db=cat01128a. Accessed 7 Mar. 2021.

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Evans 1

Professor Joyce Barnes

learning defects, Alhezimers, Parkinson's disease, baldness, blindness, deafness, missing

teeth, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, diabetes, and potentially cancer.

embryo is not deemed fit, after extensive research.

future of medicine, and treatment.

California's Institute for Regenerative Medicine. "The Power of Stem Cells."

www.cirm.ca.gov/patients/power-stem-cells. Accessed 7 Mar. 2021.

Dresser, Rebecca. "Stem Cell Research as Innovation: Expanding the Ethical

Policy Conversation." U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes

of Health, PMC, 1 Jan. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2941662/.

Accessed 7 Mar. 2021.

Stanford Medicine. "Unregulated Artery Cell Growth May Drive Atherosclerosis,

Stanford Medicine Research Shows." Stanford Medicine News Center, June

2020. AccessMedicine, med.stanford.edu/stemcell/news.html. Accessed 7 Mar.

University of Nebraska Medical Center. "Importance of Stem Cells." University of

Nebraska Medical Center, University of Nebraska, www.unmc.edu/stemcells/

educational-resources/importance.html. Accessed 7 Mar. 2021.

2013, 2013. Sinclair Library, New Jersey: World Scientific 2013,

dGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#AN=scc.b1599118&db=cat01128a. Accessed 7 Mar. 2021.

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