Question

1.) What are the problems with using embryonic stem cells in research? How might induced pluripotent stem cells help in research versus using embryonic stem cells?

2.) Describe the process of therapeutic cloning. What are the problems with using therapeutic cloning?

3.)What are the ethical issues involved with stem cell research? Describe the pros and cons of embryonic stem cell research.

Answer 1

PROBLEMS OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH ARE:

USE OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS REQUIRES LIFELONG USE OF DRUGS TO PREVENT REJECTION OF TISSUE.

USING EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS CAN PRODUCE TUMOURS .

FEDERAL LAW DIDNOT ALLOW FUNDING TO RESEARCH RELATED TO THIS FIELD.

PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS HAVE BEEN HAILED AS AN EFFECTIVE REPLACEMENT FOR HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS .BOTH TYPE OF CELLS SHARE IMPORTANT PROPERTIES LIKE SELF RENEWAL AND PLURIPOTENCY.

EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS ARE OBTAINED FROM INNER CELL MASS OF FROZEN EMBRYOS WHILE PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS ARE OBTAINED BY REPROGRAMMING OF SOMATIC CELLS TO A PLURIPOTENT STATE THROUGH THE OVER EXPRESSION OF KEY SET OF TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS.

THERAPEUTIC CLONING:

THERAPEUTIC CLONING CAN PRODUCE STEM CELLS WITH THE SAME GENETIC MAKEUP AS THE PATIENT.THE PROCESS INVOLVES THE TRANSFER OF NUCLEUS FROM CELLS OF PATIENT TO AN EGG CELL WHOSE NUCLEUS HAS BEEN REMOVED.STEM CELLS PRODUCED IN THIS WAY CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO PATIENT.

SCIENTIFIC ROAD BLOCKS IN ADVANCEMENT OF THERAPEUTIC CLONING ARE TUMEROGENECITY,MITOCHONDRIAL HETEROPLASMY,LOW OOCYTE AVAILABILITY ETC.

ETHICAL ISSUES OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS RESEARCH:

DESTRUCTION OF EMBRYOS.

CRETION OF EMBRYOS SPECIFICALLY FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES.

MEDICAL RISK OF OOCYTE RETRIEVAL.

PROTECTING REPRODUCTIVE INTERESTS OF WOMEN INFERTILITY TREATMENT.