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Promise of stem cells
Stem cells are the cells from which all other cells originate. In a human embryo, a large portion of the embryo's cells are stem cells. As the young child grows in her mother's womb, most of these cells begin to differentiate and become her heart, liver, kidneys and all of the 210 kinds of tissue found in a human body. Even though most of these cells become differentiated, all humans retain some stem cells in various parts of their bodies. These cells, with the correct chemical cue, can develop into specialized cells which an ailing body might need.
Since stem cells are so versatile and there are many diseases that result from the lack of or dysfunction of a single type of cell, there is hope within the medical community that stem cell research will lead to the effective and widespread treatments of human beings who are suffering from life-altering diseases and accidents. Some of the maladies include Parkinson's, diabetes, spinal cord injuries and heart disease.
The extraction of embryonic stem cells from a human embryo kills the human embryo, an innocent human being. Embryonic stem cell research forces one human being to sacrifice her life without consent in the vague hope that her cells might one day cure another human being.
Research using stem cells obtained from adults and umbilical cord blood, however, has been used to help thousands of people with various ailments. At least 73 diseases have been helped with the use of adult stem cells including Parkinson's, spinal cord injuries, various forms of leukemia, heart damage and various forms of cancer.
Research and treatments using stem cells from adults and umbilical cord blood have shown that these cells aren't likely to form tumors.
Adult stem cells usually come from a patient's own body and have the same DNA as the patient, so they don't face the risk of being rejected by the patient's body.
Right to Life of Michigan supports stem cell research which does not necessitate the killing of innocent human beings