Final

If one knows anything about stem-cell research, there is bound to be an opinion on the subject.   This topic has been in the media spotlight on and off since 1998.   Celebrities such as Michael J. Fox and the late Christopher Reeve sing stem-cell’s praises, whereas others such as Mel Gibson and John Travolta warn of its ethical downfalls.   No matter what the opinion, after the facts are presented, a strong opinion either way is common.   There are many people such as celebrities, scientists, and the everyday news-watcher who oppose of stem cell research because of the use of a fertilized egg (embryo). The benefits of this breakthrough section of the research world in every way, both economic and medical, far outweigh the risks.
Knowing what stem-cell research is and what it entails is important to supporting or opposing it.   Stem-cells are researched for use
to cure many debilitating diseases eventually and         Human Fertilized Embryo
to help heal many spinal injuries. There are two
types of stem-cells.   Embryonic stem-cells ar           BLASTOCYTE------(   (---STEM CELL
taken from a three to five day fertilized embryo,
or blastocyte that only consists of about 200 cells             (--EMBRYO
(Brainard, 2004).   In the diagram at the right, the
pink is the embryo, the purple are the stem-cells that
are extracted from the blastocyte, in the red.   Embryonic stem-cells are what are commonly used in the positive treatments of new cell-lines, which are what is frozen, studied,   multiplied, and injected during stem-cell treatment.   Embryonic stem-cells have the capability of eventually being turned into all of the 200 types of cells in the human body.
Adult stem cells are taken from the human adult body, and are fully matured cells.   These adult cells are hard to isolate and grow for research purposes.   Scientists do not have to harvest embryos for this research process.   Most research using adult stem-cells has been started with blood-forming cells,...