Stem cell research has presented the nation with one of the most divisive ethical issues of the modern age. Aside from the biological implications of stem cell research, many question the morality of issues involving embryos, cloning, and genetic engineering, to identify a few.

While the debate is relatively new, it is rapidly becoming one of the most controversial ethical issues of today. As with most technological advances, the key question is not whether progress is right or wrong, but rather will society use the new power responsibly.

To provide some scientific background on the issue, a stem cell is a cell that has the potential to develop into a number of different types of cells in the body. First discovered in the early 1900s, stem cells were identified and named when researchers realized that various types of blood cells all originated from a particular stem cell (UKSCF, 2007).

When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential to either remain the same or become another type of cell in the body with a more specialized function, such as a brain cell, red blood cell, or muscle cell (U.S. Dept. of Health, 2009). For this reason, stem cells are expected to be able to effectively treat a wide variety of diseases and ailments, including spinal cord injury, diabetes, heart disease, blood disorders, and Parkinsons Disease.

Another potential function of stem cells is the ability to create cells, tissue, and even synthetic blood that can be used in medical therapies (AGI News, 2009), thus closing the gap between the high demand for donated organs and tissues and the limited supply currently available for patients in need.

There are two types of stem cells with which scientists can work: adult and embryonic.

Most of the controversy surrounding stem cell research involves embryonic stem cells because they are derived from fertilized embryos, which are subsequently destroyed in the research process.

The embryos used for research, however, are not derived from eggs fertilized in a womans body; rather they are fertilized in vitro in a fertilization clinic and donated for research purposes with informed consent of the donor (Newman, 2009). If they are not used to contribute to the medical community, these embryos will be kept deep frozen in a clinic or discarded altogether. It is for this reason that many supporters of stem cell research argue that the process cannot be accurately compared to destroying human life if the embryos ultimate fate was going to be disposal from the onset of the procedure. It is also not clear as to whether or not the biological fetus is a person and has rights (Garrett, Baille, & Garrett, 2001).

An adult (or somatic) stem cell, on the other hand, is an undifferentiated cell found among differentiated cells in an organ or tissue that has the ability to renew itself, as well as differentiate into a specialized cell type. By their nature, adult stem cells are not as controversial because they can be derived from an individual who may require the therapy by extracting them from the bone marrow or skin cells (National Institues of Health, 2009).

Stem cells, however, do not come only from embryos, bone marrow, and skin. A popular service called cord blood banking is now offered to the families of newborn infants who want to preserve a childs stem cells after birth so that they may be accessed later should stem cell therapy ever become necessary. The cells derived from the babys umbilical cord can also be used to treat blood relatives. If a family decides not to store these cells by having them frozen after birth, then the genetically unique cord blood stem cells are discarded (Cord Blood Registry, 2009).

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Stem Cell History | The Stem Cell Research Controversy