“A STEM CELL STORY”

REFLECTION

Life starts with a single cell (a fertilized egg). This cell divides through development
to produce more cells that make up the body. At certain stages, cells stop making copy
of themselves and start to specialize. Specialize cells perform different functions in the
body but are unable to divide. Stem cells are the ones that provide new cells as the
body grows. These stem cells make a decision every time it divides, if its daughter cells
will be new stem cells or specialized ones.

Stem cells are used for treatment to replace a person’s damaged cells that his/her
body cannot produce naturally. Such as in extensive burn, where stem cells are
acquired from the unburned area of the patient, are cultured in the laboratory, and is
then transplanted to the patient. However, stem cells for specific tissues and organs can
only make cells of that tissue. In the embryo, there are group of cells that can give rise
to different tissues to which when cultured, can become different cells of the body.

Despite this breakthrough in medicine, certain issues arise from the used of an
embryo or a fertilized egg. For those who believe that life begins at conception (genetic
theory), the blastocyst is a human life. Destroying the blastocyst can be deemed
immoral and it seems like you are prohibiting a human person to have its chance to
experience the world. Personally, I am in awe with how many lives this medical
breakthrough can change or save. More so, as an aspiring nurse, I also believe that life
starts the moment an egg is fertilized, regardless if it’s artificially done in the laboratory.
Hence, that embryo already has its right to live. Much as how this breakthrough can
preserve life at its optimum capacity, another evident of life is compromise. The other
issue is a theological problem that concerns with creating a living tissue in a laboratory
and how it represents human being taking the role of God. Some who are against this
research believe that the role of creation (pertaining to those that concerns with life) is
God’s duty alone.

Through the years we are constantly looking for ways to prolong life. Also ironically,
though many argue about the destruction of a blastocyst and equate this to killing a
human life, a lot too are committing abortions illegally and without any legitimate
reasons, only to cover up mistakes and evade responsibility. Researchers are still
looking for alternatives, like the use adult-derived stem cell or the induced pluripotent
stem cells and uniparental cells instead of the embryonic stem cells. I hope that these
will obtain success and be more understood by the public. Sometimes, despite our
desire to live longer we have forgotten that before any medical intervention, we can
choose to prevent anything that can be dangerous for our body.