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Embryonic Stem Cell Research Essay

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Since the discovery of cells in 1665 by Robert Hooke, scientists have put a countless number of hours into the research of these tiny and fascinating building blocks. Through all of this research, scientists have made innumerable discoveries about cells. Possibly one of the most prominent discoveries is the discovery of stem cells. Stem cells contain properties unlike any other cell in the body; they are referred to as pluripotent, meaning they can become any type of cell. There are two types of stem cells: embryonic and adult—or somatic. There is one main difference between these two types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells are truly pluripotent, while adult stem cells are a more specialized. Because embryonic stem cells are more pluripotent than adult stem cells, they have become the main focus of scientists’ research. This research of embryonic stem cells, however, has caused a great stir on a discussion of morality and ethics. The main question in the debate on embryonic stem cell research is this: is it ethical to destroy a human embryo, even if it has the potential to save the life of an existing human being? Although this has been …show more content…

It took seven years of research, but in 1988, it was determined that human embryos did in fact contain stem cells (“Stem Cell Basics III”). Since this discovery, embryonic stem cell research has been thrust to the forefront of medical research. Scientists claim embryonic stem cells’ potential is unimaginable. The stem cells obtained from embryos are truly pluripotent, so many believe they could be the cure to many horrible diseases. There is just one problem with the research of embryonic stem cells: it raises a huge moral and ethical dilemma. Is destroying a human embryo justified if the cells are being used to cure a lethal disease someone

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