What is an Embryonic Stem Cell?
What is an Embryonic Stem Cell?
In the recent past, embryonic stem cells have been making the headlines but amidst all the talk and fad, no one is actually answering the question what is an embryonic stem cell? You need to know what is an embryonic stem cell, what makes it unique, why they stir a lot of debate and what they really do.
Unlike other cells in the body, stem cells can renew themselves through the process of cell decision for long periods of time under certain conditions in the laboratory. These cells can be stimulated to become stem cells with special functions such as in insulin that produces cells that are often found in the pancreases. Research tells us that these cells could potentially be a solution for renewable transferable tissues that can play a significant sole in the treatment of such conditions as diabetes, Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injuries as well as other diseases. You can now see why answering the question what is an embryonic stem cell is detrimental to understanding its functions, benefits and developments in medical treatments.
What is an embryonic stem cell, really?
You cannot fully answer the question what is an embryonic stem cell without covering the aspect of its development and where it is derived from. As he name suggests, the embryonic stem cell is derived from embryos fertilized in vitro and donated to research as well as adult stem cells. The most important difference between an embryonic stem cell and an adult cell is the fact that the embryonic stem cell possesses the ability to become different kinds of cells in the body unlike the adult stem cell.
To answer the question what is an embryonic stem cell, I also have to cover the fact that the embryo cell’s totipotent ability (the ability to reform an embryo itself) disappears. The stems that are collected during the later stages (blastula or morula) may change into any cell organ because they are pluripotent. Some organs have adult stem cells that are multipotent because they cannot differentiate some cell types. Although the embryonic and adult stem cells are great in repairing body organs, the techniques they use are not fully understood and this is why many people are still asking what is an embryonic stem cell and what is an adult stem cell?
Stem cell research offers lots of opportunities in the treatment of disease but truth be told, it still remains a very controversial issue. First, to create an embryonic stem cell, the embryo has to be destroyed so that the embryonic stem cells can be created. There are of course other issues that are controversial but the important thing is that the Obama administration lifted the restrictions placed by the Bush administration concerning embryo stem cells research and FDA has approved many researches on the issue. One of the latest developments on the creation of the embryo stem cells is the technique whereby the researchers at Advanced Cell technology Company came up with a technique to create an embryonic stem cell without having to destroy the embryo.
I hope these few tips are beneficial in the answering the question what is an embryonic stem cell and helps you understand its functions and benefits well and why it is such a sensation today.