What are the benefits of embryonic stem cells over other types of stem cells?
What are the benefits of embryonic stem cells over other types of stem cells?
Module 3 Assignment
Stem Cells (20 points)
BACKGROUND:
In this module we will be studying our cells and the ways they are differentiated to perform specific tasks. One of the most controversial and misunderstood fields of research is the use of stem cell to cure diseases. Much of the scientific community feels that stem cell research is extremely promising and may lead to the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases. Others contend that stem cell research is unethical because it uses cells extracted from embryos that are destroyed in the process.
Support for stem cell research in the United States has also been clouded by the personal beliefs of elected officials. In July of 2001, President George W. Bush limited federal funding of embryonic stem cell research to 60 existing embryo stem cell lines “where a life-and-death decision has already been made.”
Then on March 9, 2009 President Barak Obama signed an executive order overturning the bans imposed by the Bush Administration. He stated “Promoting science isn’t just about providing resources, it is also about protecting free and open inquiry. It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology.”
Several Congressmen introduced H.R. 873, Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2009 which intended to provide governmental oversight by regulating the use of stem cells that meet the following requirements: (1) the stem cells were derived from human embryos donated from in vitro fertilization clinics, were created for the purposes of fertility treatment, and were in excess of the needs of the individuals seeking such treatment; (2) prior to donation, it was determined that the embryos would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded; and (3) the individuals seeking fertility treatment donated the embryos with written informed consent and received no financial or other inducements.
The bill never became law during the last Congressional session so it had been cleared from the books and was reintroduced in 2011 as HR2376 and HR2433 in 2013. It also includes language that prohibits use of federal funds for human cloning which is defined as “the implantation of the product of transferring the nuclear material of a human somatic cell into an egg cell from which the nuclear material has been removed or rendered inert into a uterus or the functional equivalent of a uterus.” Recent advancements in using Induced pluripotent stem cells may put this ethical debate on hold. As you will read, this technique does not require embryonic stem cells. Yet embryonic stem cells may still be needed for research as they represent the gold standard to which induced stem cells are compared. And might there be new ethical dilemmas in the use of these induced cells which theoretically could become an embryo?
YOUR ASSIGNMENT: It is not clear yet if a new executive order by our current president will bypass the one that Obama put forth. So you will be developing a letter to your Congressional representative to convince them to either pass or not pass HR 2433, the Stem Cell Research Advancement Act of 2013 which would allow funding for embryonic stem cell research. Your essay should be backed up with evidence from the materials provided. Consider this overarching question: Could stem cell research hold the promise to cure disease?
Step 1: REFLECT
Think for a moment. What do you know about stem cells?
Step 2: RESEARCH Start by exploring this older but relevant video which gives you a background of the stem cell debate.NOVA program
Make sure you watch Stem Cells Breakthroughs (Links to an external site.) featuring work by Shinya Yamanaka,who won a Nobel Prize for using induced pluripotent stem cells.In this documentary video
you will learn how this technology is being used to treat disase.
Learn about stem cell basics here (Links to an external site.) and explore the similarities and differences between embryonic (pluripotent) and adult (multipotent) stem cells. Two diseases that have been the focus of stem cell treatments are macular degeneration (AMD) and ALS. Contrast the following stem cell approaches to treat macular degeneration:
Neuronal stem cells
induced pluripotent stem cells (Links to an external site.). Here’s another study using induced pluripotent stem cells (ips) (Links to an external site.).
ALS money from ice bucket challenge DOES support great research! Check out this research being done for ALS to use the patient’s own adipose stem cells (Links to an external site.).
Finally, explore how multipotent stem cells are used to treat burns (Links to an external site.) or forjoint repair
Are you starting to see the difference between multipotent adult stem cells, and pluripotent embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells?
Step 3: WRITE (20 pts.) After reading all this (including links that you are finding and the Powerpoints in Module 3) and educating yourself on stem cell research,what do you think about stem cells now? Write a one page report (minimum of 450 words) in the form of a letter to your Congressional representative to convince him/her whether or not they should pass HR2433 to allow funding for embryonic stem cell research Support your argument with details obtained from your research which demonstrates an understanding of the properties of stem cells and the difference between embryonic and other types of stem cells.
Here are some guiding questions to help you develop your perspective. DO NOT just answer these and submit this as your report. Rather use these questions to think more deeply about the topic as you gather evidence for your point of view:
- What are the benefits of embryonic stem cells over other types of stem cells?
- Should the uncertainty of scientific studies influence whether scientists should be able to conduct such research?.
- Who should have jurisdiction over stem cell research (the federal government, individual states, scientists, independent agency or the public ?)
- Is it wise to continue research on all types of stem cells since we don’t know which type will be the most useful?
The position you take does NOT influence your grade! Supporting evidence, however, does. Use any word processing software to write the report and then run a spell-check before posting it. Do not copy directly from a web-page as that would be considered plagiarism! See Rubrics in Course Information) Step 4: POST In order for this assignment to be graded it has to be submitted to the Module 3 Discussion Board AND here, to Module 3 Assignment for scanning by TurnItIn.
Step 5: DISCUSS (5 pts.) Visit the Discussion Page and read the posts from your classmates. Be sure to read papers of classmates sharing the same view and of those who posted an opposing opinion . Did they bring up a point of view you had not thought of? Did their argument make sense? This is a controversial subject and I know students will have strong views so PLEASE be considerate and respectful of all opinions. There is no right or wrong answer. I am looking, as always, for critical thinking. Question evidence and conclusions, evaluate how the information was obtained but do not attack the presenter or appeal to emotions.
If you need to print these directions out first
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