A. Funding For Stem Cell Research Is Not Supported Because of The Use of Embryonic

Kaitlyn Delli Mr. Query English 3 22 January 2013 Stem-Cell Research: A Potential Cure I. Introduction a.
Attention Getter: Stem cells can be used to treat many of the worlds lifethreatening illnesses. b. Link: It is important to know the basics of stem cells, the difference between the types of stem cells, and the possible uses of stem cells. c. Thesis: Standing behind and finding stem cell research could become a medical break-though, and could become cures and long-term treatment for diseased. d. Preview: Morals play a big role in the stem cell controversy, but there is so much more to it than what others want to believe. II. The simple thought of stem cell research has become such a controversy between political parties over the years. a. Funding for stem cell research is not supported because of the use of embryonic stem cells (scienceblog.com). i. Embryonic stem cells are fertilized eggs. ii. The controversy with them is: is science performing medical research on living humans? iii. Embryos are thrown away or incinerated.
b. Without the go ahead from the woman to whom the fertilized eggs belong, the eggs must be thrown away; literally into a garbage can. i. How is throwing them away better than performing scientific experiments on them? c. Along with political parties, religious viewpoints are brought into account. i. Is embryonic stem cell research considered abortion? ii. Does it go against Catholic beliefs? d. The hard-to-understand case pits science against mostly religious arguments against using embryos in medical research. It's even more confusing because there are so many different types of cells called stem cells (nbcnews.com). i. There is only a strong emphasis on embryonic stem cells because they can grow into any type of cell in the body, and that is what science is doing research on. ii. There are plenty of other different types of stem cells and ways to use them. e. Instead of being judgmental about stem-cell research as a whole, the controversy between political parties and religion should focus more on embryonic stem-cell research alone. III. Stem-cell research goes above and beyond embryonic stem-cell research. a. There are several different types of stem cells and procedures. i. Embryonic and fetal stem cells, adult stem cells, embryonic germ cells, and amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood stem cells (Eve 167-170). b. There are many different potential uses for stem cells (Eve 170-171).
i. Adult stem cells are used on a regular basis. 1. Because they have the ability to become blood cells, they are more used to help fight cancer and other blood-based disorders. 2. Bone marrow transplants are done in hopes of creating more white blood cells to fight off the unwanted illness. ii. As for amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood, cord blood is rich in the blood-forming cells that can be used in transplants. Some diseases that cord blood treats are: 1. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia 2. Acute myeloid leukemia 3. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma 4. Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia 5. Schwachman syndrome 6. Autoimmune neutropenia (severe) 7. Sickle-cell anemia 8. Hunter syndrome 9. And many more life-threatening diseases (www.viacord.com). c. If cord blood was not available, the use of embryonic stem-cells could sub in for them, getting the same end result do to embryonic stem cells being able to evolve into any cell needed. IV. The controversy between whether or not stem cell research is good or bad is whether or not embryonic stem cell research is a medical discovery or murder.
a. The focus of this argument is on when life begins, which some consider to be at contraception, and whether any individual has the right to terminate a life. i. People believe that by aborting the embryo and giving it to science it is then turned into murder 1. Which links back to moral beliefs. b. Anti-embryonic stem cell research people believe that by aborting the embryo and giving it to science it is then turned into murder (scienceblog.com). c. What some fail to realize is that research isnt being done on in vitro-embryos. i. Experimentation is done on embryos that are no longer needed by the mother. 1. The fertilized eggs could be frozen by request of the woman, but also she could reject the extras. d. When something isnt needed, why not use it for better use? i. Currently, at least thirty three states have specific guidelines with respect to the use of embryos in research, which in several cases conform to federal legislation. ii. Consequently, because of the controversy over when life begins, many other countries, besides the US, either ban or severely restrict embryonic stem cell research to be done. e. The United States is slowly realizing that there is so much good that can come with embryonic stem cell research that it trumps the negative thoughts. V. As embryonic stem cell research is still a touchy topic, researchers have begun to look further into what they can do to produce the effects of embryonic stem cells.
a. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are being discovered to behave and heal similarly to embryonic stem cells. b. Induced-pluripotent stem cells are adult stem cells that have been genetically altered to behave like embryonic stem cells. At present, they serve a valuable role in research and drug testing (van Gend 62). c. Only during a brief window very early in development do all the cells within an embryo possess the ability to become any of the 220 cell types in the human body. Extracting those cells and growing them in culture gives rise to embryonic stem cells. The ability of true embryonic stem cells to indefinitely maintain their capacity to generate any tissue type defines the term pluripotent (Hochedlinger 46-53) VI. The promise of stem cells only brings positive results. a. Pluripotent stem cells offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat a myriad of diseases, conditions, and disabilities including Parkinsons disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal cord injury, burns, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis (stemcells.nih.gov). b. An experiment tested on three individuals who were paralyzed from the chest down. Doctors injected each one with neural stem cells into their spinal cord. After six months of therapy, two of the three have sensation between their chest and their belly buttons. (New Scientist 4)

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Kaitlyn Delli Mr. Query English 3 22 January 2013 Stem-Cell Research: A Potential Cure I. Introduction a.

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