Embryonic stem cell researching require embryos at approx 5-6 days old. Why are they useless after that point?
924940
The dna and other components of the cell have started to break down.
728096
Okay... You need to specify that it is EMBRYONIC stem-cell research.\n\nLet me ask you this: Is it ethical to destroy one human life, one that is innocent, has commited no wrong, and has not even had the chance to live independently, in order to save another life? Is murder EVER ethical?
839244
<<The only positive results have come from adult stem cell research!>>\n\nAre you a Scientist? And why should I believe you and ignore numerous Nobel Laureates?\n\nThink twice, speak once.
741835
All human beings start their lives from a single cell, called the zygote, which is formed after fertilization. The zygote divides and forms two cells; each of those cells divides again, and so on. Pretty soon, about five days after conception, there is hollow ball of about 150 cells called the blastocyst. The blastocyst is smaller than a grain of sand and contains two types of cells, the trophoblast and the inner cell mass. Embryonic stem cells are the cells that make up the inner cell mass. As embryonic stem cells can form all cell types in an adult, they are referred to as pluripotent stem cells.\n\nStem cells can also be found in very small numbers in various tissues in the adult body. For example, bone marrow stem cells are found in the marrow of the bone and they give rise to all specialized blood cell types. Adult stem cells are typically programmed to form different cell types of their own tissue; they are called multipotent stem cells. Adult stem cells have not yet been identified in all vital organs. In some tissues like the brain, although stem cells exist, they are not very active, and thus do not readily respond to cell injury or damage. Scientists are now also exploring ways in which they can induce the stem cells already present to grow and make the right cell types to replace the damaged ones. \n\nStem cells can also be obtained from sources like the umbilical cord of a newborn baby. This is an accessible source of stem cells, compared to adult tissues like the brain and bone marrow. Although scientists can grow these cells in culture dishes, they can do so only for a limited time. Recently, scientists have discovered the existence of stem cells in baby teeth and in amniotic fluid-the "water bath" that surrounds an unborn baby- and these cells may also have the potential to form multiple cell types. Research to characterize and study these cells is very promising but at a very early stage.
949372
Dr. Mengele:\n\nThe federal government provides LOTS of money for stem cell research RIGHT NOW.  It funds research for umbilical cord and adult stem cell research and for existing embryonic cell lines.\n\nWhat it doesn't do is support the murder of additional embryoes.  But as Dr. Mengele, you don't care about murdering people.  You just want to play god.
699943
Opposition to stem cell research is almost entirely ethical/moral.  There are two major concerns, both of which turn on the sanctity of life and the slippery slope argument.\n\nThe first is that if any gains are realized from this research, that scientists will begin to farm human beings a la "The Matrix".  The basic fear is that even though scientists currently intend only to use cells from embryos that were going to be destroyed anyway, they will begin to create babies for the sole purpose of harvesting their stem cells.  In essence, it's a more sinister form of abortion.\n\nSecondly, many of those people who oppose cloning are against stem cell research because the methodology of conducting stem cell research is that of small-scale cloning.  More specifically, legislation legalizing stem cell research may be written such that full-on cloning would also be legal, although this is a somewhat tenuous argument.\n\nIf you want to know any more, I would suggest you look at most any Right-to-Life website.  They will likely have talking points to better explain these and other arguments.\n\nBest of luck with your speech.  Arguing against your own beliefs can often refine your own debate skills and understanding of your real position.
18080
Embryonic stem cell research generally involves the death of an embryo.  The objection to stem cell research is basically a pro life position held in the belief that an embryo is human and should not be experimented on and killed like it is not human.
823911
Fertilization of an egg with sperm can occur in vitro (in a test tube). Under proper conditions, a blastocyst will form after about 5 days. The blastocyst contains a group of cells called the inner cell mass. These cells are pluripotent, meaning they can differentiate into any cell in the human body. These are commonly referred to as "embryotic stem cells".
815376
then get it from the cord.  stem cell research can save so many lives. but baby butchering to get the stem cells do not work well with me
767321
Just enter those words in a search in your favourite search engine,..Google works great. Also you can try Wikipedia [type that in a Google search] the worlds' free online encyclopedia where you can find info on just about anything and if you want can post info on subjects not yet entered,..keep in mind that because of this feature some info there may be incorrect. I recently saw on the news [TV] that somewhere [forget where] they are going to see if stem cells injected into a humans' heart attack damaged heart may cause a healing of the damage. If this were to work it could be a major breakthrough that could lead to people living quite a bit longer than normal,..not quite eternal youth, but maybe 120-150 yrs lifespan. Stem cell research and use in treatments may also lead to cures for many things including cancer without using dangerous radiation anymore.   John
381101
"Adult" stem cells can be isolated from tissues in living people, however these cells are not considered "pluripotent", meaning they cannot become ANY cell but are confined to generation of a single tissue, etc.  For example, the reason that bone marrow transplantation works to treat diseases like leukemia is because blood stem cells in the marrow are able to regenerate the spectrum of blood cells in a chemotherapy patient.  There is little ethical concern for these types of stem cells and government funding is available.\n\nPluripotent (or "embryonic") stem cells, as their name suggests, must be collected from embryonic tissue, such as a fertilized blastocyst, and currently this involves destroying the embryo.  Aborted fetal tissues, particularly late-term, are not good sources of embryonic cells, since many of these cells have already differentiated into tissue-specific stem cells.  Thus, researchers have tended to use discarded eggs from fertility clinics that have been kept frozen at the blastocyst stage.\n\nRegardless, this is where the moral delemma begins.  Since many people believe that life begins at conception, this fertilized blastocyst is a human and destroying it is therefore murder.  Based on this argument, the US government has halted funding of research to create new embryonic stem cell lines, but will allow researchers to use cell lines generated by this method prior to the government's decision.  This leaves a handful of available lines, each of which has its own limitations technically or experimentally.\n\nThe flaw in this argument, in my view, is that fertility clinics are allowed to dispose of frozen eggs with the consent of the donors (often following successful IVF treatment), but these same cells cannot be used by doctors for legitimate medical research purposes, even with consent of the donors, without their destruction being labeled "murder".
182296
This has already been asked today! \nI'll repeat the answer...the reason is all embryos start out female until about six weeks when the male sex chromosome kicks in for a male embryo. The embryo then begins to develop all of its male characteristics. Men are left with nipples and also some breast tissue.
639488
I think that is a rather disgusting thought.... no amount of money could ever replace a human life.  Abortion is not birth control, it's MURDER! 18 days after conception the heart begins beating, most women don't even know they are pregnant at that stage of the game. Abortions are not done before 6 weeks and by then there are facial features, the arms and legs have budded, the nervous system is in tact, it is a growing living human with potential not potentially a human.
805439
I'm sorry, but some of the answers on here are utterly wrong in terms of science - there is a very big difference between stem cells from embryos, and stem cells from places like bone marrow.\n\nTHERE ARE INFACT TWO TYPES OF STEM CELL undergoing medical research: Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs) and Adult Stem Cells (ASCs). \n\nASCs are taken from a human adult (eg from bone marrow), and usually either transplanted to another part of the body, or artificially encouraged to grow to greater numbers. ESCs are taken from human embryos which have been created artificially. Under the right conditions, these cells can then be grown in a lab, and if given the appropriate chemical signals, can be manipulated to become virtually any type of cell imaginable. In either case the aim is to replace tissues lost through disease.\n\nThose opposed to the use of ESCs strongly advocate the use of ASCs. However, many scientists believe that ASCs are ultimately less useful medically, as they cannot replace all types of cells. Blood stem cells can only become blood cells. They exist in very small amounts and are therefore hard to find, and in extremely limited supply if wanted for transplantation on a large scale. They are also difficult to grow in culture. By contrast, ESCs are easy to isolate, grow and manipulate, and have a greater variety of uses. Thus, they are favoured by scientists as a medical tool. \n\nAs ASCs come directly from the adult patient, there is essentially no controversy, as there are no life-issues at stake. It is the use of ESCs which is the cause of the debate, as it involves artificially creating a human embryo, harvesting the cells and then destroying the embryo. The moral objections to this revolve around a fundamental question - when does a group of cells constitute a human life? Put simply, are we playing God, and it is morally acceptable for us to do so? There has been no definitive conclusion, and the argument continues.\n\nThe variety of diseases which can potentially be treated with ESCs is huge, ranging from degenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, and even cancer. If successful, it could be the greatest reliever of human suffering since the introduction of antibiotics. To give some examples: A univeristy research team in America is close to creating a CURE to diabetes. Stem cells can be encouraged to produce insulin. These can then be transplanted into the patient, and they will never have to inject themselves with insulin again!! Another research team, in the UK, has managed to get stem cells to grow into liver tissue. This tissue can be used to test new drugs, so removing some of the need for animal testing - something I think most people would like to see! In the future, we will be able to grow whole organs for people!!\n\nI would like to point out that aborted babies are NOT used for stem cell research. The embryos are created in the lab, and growth is stopped when it reaches 8 cells. This way, all the cells are still stem cells, and so useful. Babies which have been aborted are far too large and devoloped to be useful in this way.\n\nHowever, the moral arguments surrounding their use do not look set to be resolved any time soon. Regardless, the immense potential medical benefits cannot be ignored. It is my view that the research should be allowed to continue, as it could help people in so many ways. Those who are opposed do not have to make use of the treatments once they become available, like Jehova's Wittnesses, who refuse blood transfusions because it against their beliefs. But I belive in giving people the choice.
798477
What kind of stem cell research? Embryonic stem cells come from unborn babies, which means you have to kill the most innocent and most defenseless of human life to get the cells. This is what the liberals want to do to increase the number of abortioins in the US and the world. There is no evidence that this type of cell research is going to produce anything of value. If it had any promise, investors would be lining up to put money into it. But they aren't, so the pro-aborts want government (that means "your money") to fund the research.\n\nOn the other hand, adult stem cell research has yielded incredible results. But you can't kill an adult, so the libs aren't interested in this type of research...
765492
A stem cell is essentially a cell with potential; it hasn’t yet become a specific, ‘useful’ cell. Stem cells are capable of becoming a variety of ‘useful’ cells. For example, a blood stem cell may become any type of blood cell, such as red or white. The basis of stem cell use in medicine is to manipulate their growth into tissues which people have lost through injury or disease, such as loss of certain brain cells in Parkinson’s disease, and thereby treat diseases previously considered incurable.\n\nTHERE ARE INFACT TWO TYPES OF STEM CELL undergoing medical research: Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs) and Adult Stem Cells (ASCs). \n\nASCs are taken from a human adult, and usually either transplanted to another part of the body, or artificially encouraged to grow to greater numbers. ESCs are taken from human embryos which have been created artificially. Under the right conditions, these cells can then be grown in a lab, and if given the appropriate chemical signals, can be manipulated to become virtually any type of cell imaginable. In either case the aim is to replace tissues lost through disease.\n\nThose opposed to the use of ESCs strongly advocate the use of ASCs. However, many scientists believe that ASCs are ultimately less useful medically, as they cannot replace all types of cells. They exist in very small amounts and are therefore hard to find, and in extremely limited supply if wanted for transplantation on a large scale. They are also difficult to grow in culture. By contrast, ESCs are easy to isolate, grow and manipulate, and have a greater variety of uses. Thus, they are favoured by scientists as a medical tool. As ASCs come directly from the adult patient, there is essentially no controversy, as there are no life-issues at stake. It is the use of ESCs which\nis the cause of the debate, as it involves artificially creating a human embryo, harvesting the cells and then destroying the embryo. The moral objections to this revolve around a fundamental question - when does a group of cells constitute a human life? Put simply, are we playing God, and it is morally acceptable for us to do so? There has been no definitive conclusion, and the argument continues.\n\nThe variety of diseases which can potentially be treated with ESCs is huge, ranging from degenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, to diabetes, and even cancer. If successful, it could be the greatest reliever of human suffering since the introduction of antibiotics. However,\nthe moral arguments surrounding their use do not look set to be resolved any time soon. Regardless, the immense potential medical benefits cannot be ignored, and so research continues amidst the controversy.
412213
Stem cells originate from embryos which are a few days old. There are very strict guidelines regarding the harvest of stem cells, and they cannot be harvested from human beings beyond the embryo stage. They certainly do not come from the human brain.