Biology - 2 Cell Division - 2.4 Stem Cell Dilemmas

Ethical problems with embryonic stem cells [2]

• potential life (aborted or spare embryo) used

• some religions cannot interfere with reproduction

Time concerns about embryonic stem cells [2]

• slow, difficult, expensive

• difficult to persuade cells to differentiate

Concerns about cancer with embryonic stem cells

cells divide and grow rapidly, so may cause cancer

Infection in adult stem cells [3]

• some adult stem cells may be infected with viruses

• patients' bodies may reject stem cells

• they would need to take immunosuppressants

Ethical embryonic stem cells

in the umbilical cord blood and amniotic fluid

Therapeutic cloning

Using cells from an adult to produce an early embryo of themself with perfectly matched embryonic stem cells

Adult stem cells for type 1 diabetes

stem cells in connective tubes from liver and pancreas to small intestine can be made into insulin-producing cells

Process of reproductive cloning [4]

• take DNA from organism A and remove nucleus

• take an egg from organism B and remove nucleus

• insert nucleus A into enucleated egg B and provide small electric shock to begin division

• organism born will be identical to A