Stem Cell Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Stem Cell - Research Paper ExampleThe goal of this paper is to pass on a general historical and scientific background of the investigate. First, the scientific background of al-Qaeda stall research will be discussed. This would entail the exposition of stem cell technology, including the functions and the potential uses of stem cells. It would also entail a description of the various sources of stem cells, that is, adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. The advantages and disadvantages of these stem cells as a source of stem cell research and therapies will be noted. Stem cell technology An adult vertebrate is estimated to compose of more than twain hundred different types of cells (Marshak et al. 4). These cells are the fundamental units of life, the building blocks of all tissue, and the source of all extracellular matrix and interstitial fluids. The cells undergo changes throughout their existence. Sometimes, these changes through adscititious or intrinsic causes may resu lt in damage or loss of the cells. If the damage or loss of the cells is irreversible, it can be permanently weaken or lethal, causing degenerative diseases. For instance, the loss of cardiomyocytes may take in to heart failure, the loss of neurons may lead to Parkinsons, dementias, ataxia, stroke, or paralysis, the loss of renal cells may lead to kidney failure, and the loss of hematopoietic cells may lead to bone marrow failures or anemias. Unfortunately, conventional drug therapies (small-molecule chemicals) are unable currently to stimulate fully serviceable cell or tissue replacement for these diseases (Harley and Rao in Arlene and Mahendra 239). However, research on human stem cells promises the development of alternative therapies for the treatment of these diseases. Stem cell research continues to fuel the expectation that an array of promising novel cellular therapeutics will be developed. It is anticipated that the therapies either comprised of or derived from human ste m cells will be effective in treating a broad spectrum of medical conditions that necessitate replacement, restoration, repair, or regeneration of damaged or diseased cells, tissues and organ systems (Fink et al. in Arlene and Mahendra 323). Stem cell technology aims at channeling these special cells with high proliferative capacity into specified differentiation programs within the body for therapeutic uses. Nevertheless, the development of the stem cell therapies will not be an easy task. The successful development of the therapies will depend on the scientists ability to direct the cells into specific pathways and then support the survival and differentiation of psyche somatic stem/progenitor cells (Zhang in Arlene and Mahendra 145). Stem cell and its functions Stem cells are defined as a cell population that has the capacity two to self-renew and to give rise to at least one kind of non-dividing, fully differentiated descendant (Hogan 189). It is noteworthy that most of the de finitions of stem cells include a arbitrariness of self-renewal, coupled with a potential to generate one or more differentiated descendant cell types (Lumelsky in Arlene and Mahendra 162). There are three substantial properties of stem cells unspecialized, self-renewal and differentiation. Stem cells are unspecialized cells, that is, they do not posses