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Tamara Cleveland

Stem Cell Research

Stem cells:

Stem cells are cells that can change into virtually any type of specialized cell. These cells are
helpful in treating diseases because they can help repair any type of damaged cells, help repair
defects in tissue, and regenerate tissues.

Types of stem cells:

 Embryonic stem cells are taken from embryos (that would later be destroyed) and can
change into more types of cells than can fetal or umbilical stem cells. These cells are
totipotent, meaning that they can any generate any type of tissue; the morula is the
source of these cells. The morula is a zygote of about eight cells.
 Fetal stem cells are taken from aborted embryos, and they also can change into more
types of cells than umbilical and adult stem cells.
 Umbilical stem cells are taken from umbilical cords and are multipotent, meaning that
they can change into many different types of cells.
 Adult stem cells are taken from tissue of adult bodies; these cells are also multipotent.

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Types of (adult) tissues that house stem cells:


Bone marrow and brain tissue have been known to house stem cells. More recently, it has been
discovered that fatty tissue can also house these cells.
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What stem cells are used to for:

Scientists can manipulate stem cells so that the cells can form any specific kind of cell that he or
she needs. This process is differentiation. When stem cells come into contact with certain
chemicals in the body, the cells can form new tissue after recognizing the chemical code (so that
they know what type of tissue to form).
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Diseases stem cells are currently used as treatment for, and what they can be used to treat
in the future:

Stem cells are used to help joint recovery and to treat leukemia currently. These cells, in the
future, may be used to treat diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis,
heart disease, stroke, and burns.
Recent stem cell research funding:

Since 1998, scientists have experimented with embryonic stem cells. President Bush gave
researchers federal funding on August 9, 2001, allowing those researchers that needed that
federal money for experimentation to begin working with stem cells. Embryonic stem cell
research is funded the least because of the controversy behind it. Because of this, advances are
just now being made on a large scale.

The future of stem cell research:

Stem cell research is an ever-progressing field. Whether embryonic stem cell research is ethical
is a frequent point of conflict for researchers and the general public alike. As many types of new
technologies are causing controversies today, stem cell research is up there with them.
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