Stem Cell Research

1
Stem Cell Research

• By Connor Callaghan, Rachel Hatch, and Zoe Molke

2
Ethical Questions

• How do we determine what constitutes a fully
  human life?
• How do we determine the appropriate consequences
  of trying to save a human life?
• How do we determine what the appropriate use of
  unwanted embryos?
• How do we decide whose right it is to determine
  what should be done with unused embryos?
• How do we balance the desire to improve the
  quality of life through medical research with our
  desire to protect human embryos?

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Stem Cells

• Definition An unspecialized cell that gives rise
  to a specific specialized cell, such as a blood
  cell.
• Tripotent
• Pluripotent
• Multipotent

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Embryonic Stem Cells

• Types
• Totipotent (ES)
• All types of cells
• Pluripotent (EG)
• Most types of cells, except placenta
• At what point in the stages of human life are
  they found?
• Possible other ways of crating pluripotent cells?

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Stages of Life

• Conception
• Zygote
• Embryo
• Blastocyst
• Fetus

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In-Vitro Fertilization

• Definition A technique in which an egg is
  fertilized outside the body.
• What happens to In-vitro fertilized eggs when
  they are not used?
• Decision of mother/father
• How does it pertain to stem cell research?

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Embryonic Stem Cell Usage

• How can they be possibly used for research/
  cures?
• Diseases
• Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Heart Disease, Spinal
  Cord injuries, burns, diabetes

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Adult Stem Cells

• Types
• Multipotent
• Can become limited types of cells, associated
  with certain organ/tissue. (differentiated)
• How do they differ from embryonic stem cells?

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Adult Stem Cell Usage

• Process of using multipotent stem cells for
  research
• What cannot be done using Adult stem cells?

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Federal Law

• What does the Federal Government consider
  appropriate usage of stem cells?
• What research will the government fund?
• Adult stem cells
• 78 existing lines

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State Law

• How laws differ from Federal Law
• Paying for research, restrictions on research
• Conservative vs. Liberal viewpoints
• California
• Money for new stem cell research center

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Churchs View

• Embryonic research never acceptable under any
  circumstance
• What is allowed?
• Adult stem cell research

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Why?

• What does Donum Vitae state to support right to
  life?
• Consider it killing of human, just like abortion

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Church Quotes

• "Experience is already showing how a tragic
  coarsening of consciences accompanies the assault
  on innocent human life in the womb, leading to
  accommodation and acquiescence in the face of
  other related evils such as euthanasia,
  infanticide and, most recently, proposals for the
  creation for research purposes of human embryos,
  destined to be destroyed in the process." Pope
  John Paul II
• "human being is to be respected and treated as a
  person from the moment of conception and
  therefore from that same moment his rights as a
  person must be recognized." -Donum Vitae

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Ethical Questions

• How do we determine what constitutes a fully
  human life?
• How do we determine the appropriate consequences
  of trying to save a human life?
• How do we determine what the appropriate use of
  unwanted embryos?
• How do we decide whose right it is to decide what
  should be done?
• How do we balance the desire to improve the
  quality of life through medical research with our
  desire to protect human embryos?

16
Bibliography

• Biotechnology Online. An Australian Government
  Initiative. 2 Oct. 2006 http//www.biotechnologyon
  line.gov.au/human/ethicssc.cfm
• "Stem Cell Research." 06,October 2006. The
  National Institues of Health. 8 Oct 2006
  lthttp//stemcells.nih.gov/info/ethics.aspgt.
• Shannon, Thomas. "Stem-Cell research." Catholic
  Update (2006) 08, October 2006 lthttp//www.america
  ncatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac0102.aspgt.
• stem cell." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2006.
  Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 11  Oct.  2006
   lthttp//search.eb.com/eb/article-236918gt.
• "Stem cell transplantation." Teresa G. Odle. The
  Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Third Edition.
  Jacqueline L. Longe, Editor. 5 vols. Farmington
  Hills, MI Thomson Gale, 2006.