Stem Cell Therapy

IB Biology 28 Sep. 08

Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cells are those cells in our multi-cellular organisms which have retained their power to divide into different specialized cell types, therefore it is unspecialized. Having this unique property, the new and healthy cells made from stem cells can be used to replace damaged cells in adult organisms. Stem cells are very important to living organisms, as it is the stem cells in the blastocyst which develop different specialized cells that build up our heart, muscles, lungs, skin and other tissues. Stem cells are also present in the blood in the umbilical cord and in some adult tissues, like the bone marrow, muscle and brain.

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Even though there are no mainstream embryonic stem cell (stem cells from blastocyst) therapies today, there are therapies which use adult stem cells. The best known of all these therapies is the bone marrow transplant, which is used to treat patients with blood or immune system disorders such as leukaemia. Leukaemia is when leukocytes start to grow abnormally, becoming cancer. As bone marrow is the place where new blood cells are made, the marrow contains hematopoietic stem cells. This type of stem cell is responsible for creating all kinds of blood cells. Therefore, a bone marrow transplant can replace the damaged stem cells and white blood cells (leukocytes) after chemotherapy and radiation has killed all the abnormal stem cells and leukocytes. If the transplant is successful, the new stem cells would migrate back into the bone marrow of the patient and repopulate the entire blood system.

Although stem cells could save lives, it has is disadvantages and ethical issues. Many people are opposing embryonic stem cell research because once an embryo is formed; some think that it is human life. If we get stem cells from embryos, we are killing life. I personally do not agree with this idea, as these embryos are usually taken from excess eggs from a process called in vitro fertilisation, where eggs cells are fertilised by sperm outside the womb, usually in a Petri dish.

There are some limitations in using adult stem cells, for example, there are very small numbers in our body, and they are more limited in what they can become, compared to embryonic stem cells. The advantages of using adult stem cells are that there is no danger of rejection of cells, as it is from the patient’s own body. It is also less likely to grow frenziedly and it is easier to control than embryonic cells.

One of the main advantages of using embryonic stem cells is that it has the potential to grow into any type of cell in the human body. Also, large numbers can be easily grown in a lab. But because it is able to grow into any type of cell, it is difficult to control it, and it may grow uncontrollably, which may turn into tumours.

To conclude, stem cell therapy may alleviate suffering of human kind, but it is still in its early stages, and it may take a few more decades to fully understand stem cells, and to use its full potential.

Number of words: 514

Peer Reviews

Here's what a star student thought of this essay

skatealexia

30th of Jul 2012

Quality of writing

Punctuation, grammar and spelling all to a very high standard. The candidate communicates scientific terms easily and clearly with a good paragraphing format and font.

Level of analysis

A good introductory paragraph which introduces by a good definition of what stem cells are and their use in the body. They then go on to describe the use of stem cells in science and some of the ethical issues surrounding them, explaining the moral issues very well. They make a point and then analyse that point in relation to the view of people, or the scientific use. Their conclusion is adequate but it does not take into account the fact that they discussed moral issues with the use of stem cells.

Response to question

A very good essay. The format of the essay is very good, and the candidate considers the range of scientific issues and uses of stem cells to a good level of detail. To improve the candidate should expand on their conclusion as mentioned below, and they could also discuss other views behind the use of stem cells in society and the cost of using them.

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