Researchers have found a way to harvest stem cells without the use of embryos. They used three drug-like chemicals; the team made the procedure 200 times more efficient and twice as fast. Stem cells are hoped to be the future cure to repair damaged tissue in diseases and after injuries. Some people have complained that the destruction of embryos for science is unethical. The creation of stem cells from human adult skin cells was first reported in 2007 by Japanese and US researchers. This opened the way for new sources of stem cells. The researchers found that by adding thiazovivin, a small molecule involved in cell survival, they could double the harvest to get 200 times the number of transformed cells. The final process became swifter and only took two weeks rather than a month needed for the original. The researchers had found that it worked in mouse cells, but it was a first in human cells.
I'm sure stem cells will be a great advantage to the healing of large injuries. However, if we begin saving people all the time, our population could begin to rise even higher. This would then become an environmental problem. Overpopulation leads to pollution and other major issues. Also, if we bring someone back to life with the stem cells we could possibly create the living dead, or the popular pop-culture phrase, zombies. The reason that could happen, is because although muscle tissues are able to be regenerated, brain tissue is not. If we do create the living dead, who knows what catastrophic activity will take place. I do not believe that this is unethical, but I do think we need to encompass the consequences that may follow.
Stem Cells
I hate to be cold and critical, but you really just invalidated your arguement about the undead---
ReplyDelete"The reason that could happen, is because although muscle tissues are able to be regenerated, brain tissue is not."
Human bodies cannot act without a brain. Sure it can re-configure itself after suffering a certain degree of trauma or damage, but that does not mean that it will be able to to control the body, (paralysis). In addition, even if broken bodies where repaired, that does not mean that they can act on their own. Watch FMA, that'll clear things up.
It would not be very smart to save every person who died because it would cause over population, in addition to other major issues, and a great deal of Frankenstein fans to go mad. However, Ian has a point. Even if we were to try to revive some people, it just would not be possible.
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