Stem Cells

Go.

And I don't care if it's been discussed. Someone explain thoroughly what stem cell research does and why, please. If nobody does by tomorrow, I'll do it. I'm just counting on someone with a better ability to explain than I. but I want it to be as clear AND UNBIASED as possible in written explaination so we don't get the morons screaming about how we're tearing the arm off a child or something right off the bat.

It's fairly simple. Undifferentiated cells (aka stem cells) from embryos are sent along a developmental pathway with molecular triggers that switch on/off specific biochemical pathways at specific times and or locations that lead to the development of mature tissue that can be used for medicinal purposes.

stems cells are something of a medical miracle breakthru. just like thrasher said, they're cells that haven't yet been made into say, a liver cell, or a heart cell, or a brain cell. they can go any way they need to for development. stem cells are so crucial because for people who need organ transplants but there aren't enough available organs or their body is rejecting outside ones can now have their own organs regrown for them in a laboratory.

people who against stem cells are pretty much ignorant of how they work. no one is dying to give research available stem cells. yes they're from eggs or embryos. they come from there because when an egg is just fertilized, all the cells just multiply, later becoming more specialized.

that should be a pretty basic summary, sorry if i missed anything important.

Just watch the south park episode from season 7. With Chris Reeves in it.

how about i mod this thread =). everyone is doing pretty well.

button- ppl that are against the research are not ignorant of how they work. the argument they have (however vaild) is that the egg has to be fertilized to a certain cell stage and then explanted from the uterus. they compare this to abortion. Even though I don't see this as abortion (i think an abortion is after the embryo becomes a fetus and the heart starts beating), it does bring up a somewhat valid point. the stem cells can still be harvested from the afterbirth, thereby not doing an "abortion".

i'm like 99% positive stem cells can be found in the umbilical cord as well. so there. stem cells DON'T equal abortion. and about those people all hung up on abortion. as if we don't have enough people in the world already?

Actually, let's set a story straight. While stem cells can be harvested after birth, they are not as good as what they can get from the fetus.

as mentioned, stem cells have the ability to do anything, like the utility played in baseball. Cells are typically assigned to an organ to perfrom a specific function, but with stem cells, they have the ability to do any function for any organ. These are called totipotent stem cells and pleuripotent stem cells on the other hand can only become either type of blood cell and nothing more. These are harvested from developed bodies.

Also as mentioned, totipotent stem cells come from 4 day old embryos. Since the gov't has yet to declare and official definition as to whether abortion is murder or not, the Bush admin has banned this sort of harvesting of stem cells. Later on, Bush only ended gov't funding while provate corp. can still fund, scientists know that it'll never match gov't funding.

The silver lining on all this though is that pleuripotent stem cells can still be harvested and while they have no where near the same potential as totipotnent stem cells, being able to possible cure Parkison's, Alzheimer's, and osteoporosis, there is a chance that a huge group of these cells can help out.

Now, while i don't care for stem cell research it shouldn't be banned. For the lack of information on the government's part, if abortions are still allowed so should this. But hey, what good is it discussing it here when it's still stopped no matter what.

this whole bush thing needs to end. the guy can't even string a sentence together, i've watched some of his interviews and it's pathetic. why would he be against something that could cure millions of people in this country of seriously debilitating and potentially fatal diseases? as of now, the only thing i can think of is ignorance.

is higher than ignorance. you can't think that low of a president. some have been lazy and others may have not done much, but never the less, they do know what they are doing one way or another or else they wouldn't have got there despite what any irrational thinkin may bring forth.

stem cells are a touchy subject and right now, something about taking 4day old fetus and cutting them open is not a popular thing. besides, science has provided a lot of thoughts and ideas, but what have we gotten? while on the way to these cures, who knows what they might find and what may come. good or bad. as said before though, if aboration is ok, this should be too.

to blame the president though is true ignorance 'cause there's always more to it than one guy saying he doesn't like it.

cutting them open? you make it sound like it's a fully developed fetus. you acknowledge the fact that stem cells are simply somatic cells that aren't specialized. therefore at 4 days old and comprised solely of stem cells, it can be nothing more than a grouping of dividing cells. which is the same thing as cancer at that point in time. just something to think about.

is higher than ignorance. you can't think that low of a president. some have been lazy and others may have not done much, but never the less, they do know what they are doing one way or another or else they wouldn't have got there despite what any irrational thinkin may bring forth.
Do your remember which president couldn't spell potatoe? Tell me you can't think of a president being ignorant.
But he does have a rational way of thinking as far as things go. The way of thinking is that alot of people in this country are religious and they don't like the idea of stem cells or cloning. As long as the majority of voters see it that way then this will be a losing battle to fight

Do your remember which president couldn't spell potatoe? Tell me you can't think of a president being ignorant.
But he does have a rational way of thinking as far as things go. The way of thinking is that alot of people in this country are religious and they don't like the idea of stem cells or cloning. As long as the majority of voters see it that way then this will be a losing battle to fight

That was VICE PRESIDENT Quayle. President Bush's (SR) right hand man. Bush JR is still a moron.

cutting them open? you make it sound like it's a fully developed fetus. you acknowledge the fact that stem cells are simply somatic cells that aren't specialized. therefore at 4 days old and comprised solely of stem cells, it can be nothing more than a grouping of dividing cells. which is the same thing as cancer at that point in time. just something to think about.

um, no. this is a fetus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetus since you don't seem to know what one is. You're probably thinking of the embryonic stage, even earlier. At 4 days old, it still feeds off it's mother therefore cells don't need to be fully specialized. Research danielle...:disappoin

And drifter, what does spelling have to do with ignorance? That's two totally different areas. So because Bush can't spell, which is what I'm assuming you're implying, that makes him ignorant? See, that doesn't go together. He maybe dumb, not smart, or something else, but ignorant, who really knows besides close people.

Dictionary.com and sadly wikipedia.com are good basic searches. As for medical stuff, I have 3 encyclopedias and my dad's a doctor. We argue about this for fun.

And like i said, frankly I dont care. It'd be nice to know that our gov't money is going to something productive as oppose to this new study I heard about, some weird shopping study, but he's stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I think they should put up a choice for everyone. Gay marriages or abortions. Can't have both, but we'll let you have one. Heck, you'll find where people's hearts truly lie when you throw in choice C, gas under $1.50...even $2. :lol:

Someting I think a few people need to keep in mind is that when you hear of stem cell research and the government, its about the funding and not making the research illegal.

I'm a big proponent of the government not handing money to anyone, research, welfare, rebuilding cities that idiots build below sea level. So nobody should get getting a dime of my hard earned money.

In any case, an example of how those who believe that harvesting the cells is murder could be equated to parts of the holocaust. German scientists experimented on the people in the concentration camps to collect data on all sorts of physiology.

To the scientists and German leaders, there was nothing wrong or immoral to what they were doing in the name of science.
Sure, there is a distinction between an undeveloped embryo and a human being tortured, but if you believe that killing both is murder, you can understand why some oppose it.

Potato doesn't have an "e"

Edit - I'm with Damien on this, I'm for stem cell research as long as abortions are legal. And I believe in the right to privacy, so I think they should both be legal.

And I sort of agree with Yogs on the government giving handouts, but I disagree when it comes to research. There are so many advances that wouldn't have been made without the help of government funding.

Without reading any posts, im for it.

Hate to rise this old thread,
but the reason our government doesnt like the idea of fixing all these illnesses/deseases is they make money from them.
If anyone can just go get thier bodies repaired at any time then thier would not be as much of a need for health care.
Hospitals make a killing when someone needs an organ(s), the organs 99% of the time were taken for free then you are charged 1million for a set of lungs, and another 1/2 mill to install them, not to mention the taxes on all that work.

What Our Gorv isnt seening here is the opertunity to be the first to make these stem cells work. Stem cells can be taken from adults too, they are the less favorable(pleuripotent ) but do and can work just as the totipotent ones do.

After years of testing, they surly can fix body parts without even growing the organ. Just adapt the cells to be a kidney, then they inject them into your bad organ and the cells repair that part.

And I thought to be called an abortion it had to be more than 4 days old :confused:

Then you do hav all these old religous groups who think were going to be cloning whole people(like in the movie The Island) for spare parts.
Thats just ignorant !
Why clone an intire person when they only need a kidney or liver, or a spinal cord repaired...

But yet our government we'll spend 100 trillion running down the dream of "World SuperPower".
While pissing even more money away on things that dont exsist such as Area 51 :shakehead

This is all biology folks, and it is essential for our exsistance, more and more every day.

So YA I'm all for it !!!

Hate to rise this old thread,
but the reason our government doesnt like the idea of fixing all these illnesses/deseases is they make money from them.
If anyone can just go get thier bodies repaired at any time then thier would not be as much of a need for health care.
Hospitals make a killing when someone needs an organ(s), the organs 99% of the time were taken for free then you are charged 1million for a set of lungs, and another 1/2 mill to install them, not to mention the taxes on all that work.

I've worked in a hospital for about 4 years, and I can tell you that hospitals don't make SHIT off of transplants. Our hospital is consistently ranked in the top 50 hospitals in the country, and are in the top 25 in about 10 disciplines. We are constantly fighting debt and have to deal with layoffs every year. So no, any non-profit hospital does not stand to PROFIT from transplants and medical procedures.

What I think it really comes down to is religious beliefs and ignorance. Your average American couldn't even come close to explaining how stem cells work. In fact, I highly doubt the president could, either. And since most people in this country are religious and many believe that an inviable clump of cells coming from a sperm and an egg are the same as a full grown human being, well then stem cell research is morally wrong.

I've worked in a hospital for about 4 years, and I can tell you that hospitals don't make SHIT off of transplants. Our hospital is consistently ranked in the top 50 hospitals in the country, and are in the top 25 in about 10 disciplines. We are constantly fighting debt and have to deal with layoffs every year. So no, any non-profit hospital does not stand to PROFIT from transplants and medical procedures.

Ok so maybe your Hospital isnt making shit, but someones raking it in ! You hospital do transplant work?

My aunt had a lung transplant in Indy 6-7years ago.
The lungs were 1million dollars, and the hospital DR that done the transplant, his bill was 1million also.

So maybe the company that harvests the organs must make the $$$ :dunno:

I'm all for it !
Can I borrow a couple of your stem cells ? :lol:

I don't think your gov't should cut off funding to stem cell research but if it's against abortion i can see why they would cut off funding to stem cell research on embryos/fetuses. You can get stem cells from a large variety of places. my sisters husband did a paper on the ability to get stem cells from teeth (he's a dentist). I don't know what kind they are but there are also many other places to get them.

Our govts screwy !
They dont like/aprove of abortion, but I bet RU486 was developed with government grants.

I think we will find other ways of getting stem cells.
IN the next few years I bet alot more information will come out on the hows and whens and who's willing to try first, Not me :D
Thats what I dont understand, they do gene threapy, wouldnt that be considered just as immoral as any other research. :shakehead: :screwy:

Ok so maybe your Hospital isnt making shit, but someones raking it in ! You hospital do transplant work?


Yeah, we do a ton of transplant work. The thing is, you can't even imgaine how expensive it actually is to perform something like a lung transplant, and then care for that patient for months afterward, do rehab, prevent infection/rejection. Hospital bills really are astronomical, and it's very difficult to provide good care and keep expenses low, which is why so many hospitals constantly have deficits.

I don't think your gov't should cut off funding to stem cell research but if it's against abortion i can see why they would cut off funding to stem cell research on embryos/fetuses. You can get stem cells from a large variety of places. my sisters husband did a paper on the ability to get stem cells from teeth (he's a dentist). I don't know what kind they are but there are also many other places to get them.

That's the thing, our government DOES endorse abortion, it's been legal in the States since '73. It's the dumbass religious conservatives in executive leadership (*cough* BUSH *cough*) that prevent stem cell research from expanding.

I think we will find other ways of getting stem cells.
IN the next few years I bet alot more information will come out on the hows and whens and who's willing to try first, Not me


I'm not worried, other countries with very good research capabilites are pursuing stem cell research, so the R&D is happening, just not in the states. Is it ridiculous that we're not pursing stem cell research? Of course. But that's what happens when you mix religion and politics.

True thier !

True thier !

I'm not sure if its been said, but a massachusetts medical research group was able to produce stem cells without destroying fetii. they essentially isolate a stem cell from the embryo and let it duplicate itself, and therefore create stem cells without harming the original embryo. I hope it fixes this foolish problem.

If I can remember correctly, in one of his speeches, Bush said that he is against the stem cell research because it requires killing of a unborn human being { correct me if I am wrong} however he is willing to start a war in Iraq that has taken life of over 2500 US soldiers that are living human beings.
If I remember correctly he was asking congress for $ 40 billion for war in Iraq but he is not willing spend a single peeny for the good cause that might save thousands of lives each year. This is by far the dumbest decesion made by our jacka$$ president.

Yeah, we do a ton of transplant work. The thing is, you can't even imgaine how expensive it actually is to perform something like a lung transplant, and then care for that patient for months afterward, do rehab, prevent infection/rejection. Hospital bills really are astronomical, and it's very difficult to provide good care and keep expenses low, which is why so many hospitals constantly have deficits.

Boy, that's the truth. We don't do any transplant work, but we do a boatload of cardiac bypass surgeries.

Just one CABG gone bad, spends weeks on a vent, all kinds of expensive supportive modalities, etc. I can tell ya, NOBODY makes any money off that.

Wonder how popular all of this technology would be if people actually had to pay every cent out of their own pockets?

Hey, you guys in Europe, how many 80 year olds get dialysis, CABGs, and transplants?