What do you need to know about stem cells?

Researches in medical science have been in development since the early existence of mankind. Since ancient times medical treatments have undergone huge advancement in the type of remedial options practiced for the cure of existing ailments in human body. The latest development in medical science is the use of stem cells for restoration of health. Stem cells in general term refers to the fertilized human embryo that has an ability to develop into any other 220 types of cells present in an adult human body. There is also another from of stem cell which is a particular cell found in every adult or even a child. This adult stem cell is supposed to be capable of generating a specific type of new cells that are required for the person suffering from any cell degeneration disease. While the later type of stem cell i.e. cells from adults hardly raise any controversial issues the former cells obtained from fertilized human embryo is a topic for hot debate among people with different mind sets.

Men have been suffering from many forms of diseases since the advent of mankind and this has been a cause of great suffering for many people who are unfortunately attacked by some incurable health hazard. The most common diseases being the Alzheimer’s disorder, the Parkinson’s disorder, cancer or the like. Even such life taking physical problems are being advocated to be possible to be cured by the stem cell theory. Hence people in the field of medical advancements strongly support the researches based on stem cell theory. Stem cell advancement has been a light of hope for people suffering from diseases that were supposed to be incurable until now. Medical scientists have done experiments to almost establish the fact that fertilized embryos of human origin can be used for successful treatment of diseases in which the present damaged cells in any person’s body were incapable of regenerating themselves.

While the possible treatment by stem cells has been good news but its origin from a fertilized human embryo has led to hot debates within people of different opinions. A fertilized embryo is often referred to as a living being and harvesting it for the purpose of medicinal use leads to an end of embryonic life. Hence it raises a question of ethics that should one life be sacrificed for saving another. Many people especially certain religious organizations and the Catholics stand very opposed to this form of medical research and have boycotted it since it’s beginning. But for those who are in favor of rearing stem cells defend saying that such researches were carried on embryos that were never meant to develop into humans. Some couples seeking fertility treatment left many fertilized embryos in the laboratories of which at max only one developed to be fit for transplanting into female body only those unused source of fertilized embryos were used for the purpose of research.

Although there are theories that at present no misuse of human fertility is done for harvesting stem cells. But less can be promised today that once using stem cells for successful treatment of degenerating cells is established there will be no case of producing embryo’s specifically for this purpose.