Should human embryos be used for stem cell research? Stem cells are cells that are capable of reproducing themselves and renewing tissue in an organism’s life. There are many reasons why they should be used for research as the discoveries could have huge benefits. However, there are many ethical issues on the use of embryos being used for stem cell research. The current policies about stem cell research in Australia are that embryos may be used if the person doing the research has a licence and the embryo is no longer wanted by the women or spouse. The licence has to come from the National Health and Medical Research Council. The embryos being used in the scientific studies had to be created before 5 of April 2002 or they cannot be used for research purposes.
Stem cells are able to carry out rapid division in our bodies. When stem cells divide, one daughter cell remains the same and the other one differentiates. Differentiation is the process were unspecialised cells develop a special structure and function. These cells then divide in a greatly reduced state or not at all. Differentiation occurs because cells only have a small amount of their genetic information turned on at any given time. The sub set of the cells genes that are switched on varies from one cell to another. The result of this differentiation is that the specialised cells form different types of tissue. Different tissues combine to form many types of organs. When stem cells divide they follow stages in the cell cycle. This is the alteration of cell division and the cells getting bigger. After a cell divides the cell takes in water to grow and synthesises new cell components. This is known as interphase. Then after interphase is the process of mitosis. Prophase is the first stage in mitosis. In this stage DNA condenses to form chromosomes and spindle fibres form. In metaphase chromosomes line up across the equator of the cell and spindle fibres extend. Anaphase is the stage were the spindle fibres contract separating sister chromatids. This happens because the centromeres divide and the contracting spindle fibres have the effect of dragging the chromatids toward the opposite poles. Now, two new nuclei need to be formed and this happens in telophase. The two sets of chromosomes from the two nuclei and the chromosomes uncoil to form chromatin. Cytokinesis is the last stage of the cell cycle. After the nucleus has divided in the previous stages, the cell actually divides to from two new cells. The cytoplasmic content within the cell is shared between the two new cells.