Stem Cells Take A Step

**Digital_Eon** · 01-16-2007, 12:41 PM

Well, I'm a little worried about that kind of fertilization... just casting them away seems mean to me too. (Okay, I missed that message. It really is an individual thing, I guess.)

I think it's less of a cure for Alzheimer's than prevention - I keep hearing in biology about all these things that are linked to it, so presumably if they keep discovering those kinds of things, it'll be known how to prevent/treat it in its early stages.

**StealthMoose** · 01-16-2007, 12:43 PM

@ DE - But that isn't necessarily the case. From what I remember most embryonic stem cells are garnered from embryos left over after IVF, being that multiple embryos are made but they only use the most viable ones. These would just be discarded usually, however this way they can be put to ridiculously good use.

As for what has intelligence done for humanity? Well it's increased our life spans from around 30 years to 80. That's pretty impressive. And as far as there being too many people in the world goes, well really there aren't. There is more than enough food produced in the world to feed every single person on it, and things like pollution and such could easily be dealt with if tackled with the singular purpose of solving humanities problems. So yeah it's not that there are too many people at all, it's simply that humanity is too selfish to look after its own properly.

**Digital_Eon** · 01-16-2007, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by StealthMoose

@ DE - But that isn't necessarily the case. From what I remember most embryonic stem cells are garnered from embryos left over after IVF, being that multiple embryos are made but they only use the most viable ones. These would just be discarded usually, however this way they can be put to ridiculously good use.

Yeah, I'll admit I have a problem with that. I just think it's wrong for embryos to be discarded like that... and I understand the LOGIC of the situation. I just don't really like it.

**Lukannon** · 01-16-2007, 01:25 PM

I personally support stem cell research for the curing of diseases, but not the extension of a lifespan(although the two do go hand in hand). Humans don't really need to live any more than they already do; they already live more than most other animals, and it's not as though we have endless resources. If the bypass of natural disease is enough to extend a lifespan, then yeah, maybe I'd support it, but if we're using stem cells to extend a lifespan otherwise(I dunno, replace aged flesh), then I'm against it.

I'll point out that while there can be enough food to feed everyone, it's not always going to go where it needs to go. I don't honestly see...oh, the US, let's say, taking all its surplus and sending it to...I dunno, Africa. You can't make money that way, and I doubt there are enough farmers willing to give the money up.

And that while pollution can easily be tackled if we could be unified, that's the problem. We can't be unified. You think people in China are going to shell out money to buy some electric car to save the ecosystem? Hella no. They're sticking with their gas-guzzling SUV's and old pick-ups because they don't have the money to. It's not a question of 'how do we do it,' I think, it's a question of 'can we do it.'

Cold, stored embryos? If they can't continue to develop, why not? My only qualm with stem cell research is that it takes away the development of an embryo(hey, if there's so many issues with abortion, this should be even bigger). If they've found a way to bypass the loss of development, then I have no problems with the experimentation.

I'm only thirteen, so I can't really say I know much about this, though. I only come here to download manga, most of the time, so don't hold it against me if I said something incredibly stupid, please.

**coolerimmortal** · 01-16-2007, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Digital_Eon

If they won't kill the babies, I'm happy. ^_^ I think the main opposition - well, on my part - is the death of the babies - and if stem cells can actually be extracted without that death, then what's there to oppose?

My only problem is that I heard this before, and it turned out to be wrong - is this 100% confirmed now?

No babies are killed, though. The fetuses used would be thrown away if they weren't used for stem cell research so, really, there is nothing being lost.

Keep in mind, though, if killing a hundred babies would cure ten thousand people of cancer, I'd kill the babies myself. I wouldn't exactly feel good about it, but I believe it would be the right decision.

Originally Posted by Deoris

i´m 4such research with dna and such(as long as people won´t suffer from it)
and i don´t think tht if we´re going to cure cancer and alzenheimer(sp?) would cause overpopulation(with the "help" of humans,mother nature kills enough humans already,that is with tsunamis etc.)

Uh, curing cancer would lead to a population increase, which would lead to overpopulation.

Originally Posted by Digital_Eon

And anyway, another question is - would you feel comfortable being treated with something that came from what could have been a human if you'd let it live in its natural environment? I wouldn't. It's not a religious issue, it's a matter of what you'd choose, and I want to be given that choice.

I'd feel very comfortable.

But these fetuses would not become human if they weren't used for stem cell research. They would be thrown away.

**king_of_kings** · 01-16-2007, 11:49 PM

yeah sure that this new technology will help many sick and dying people but do you really want to live longer on this god forsaken planet!!!

**otbaht** · 01-17-2007, 03:09 AM

the cells from a persons own body is most likely to work where as they want to use the embryo cells because if it works it will be more marketable. its not about helping people its about making a profit in a larger scale.

**Jakko** · 01-17-2007, 04:50 AM

Originally Posted by otbaht

the cells from a persons own body is most likely to work where as they want to use the embryo cells because if it works it will be more marketable. its not about helping people its about making a profit in a larger scale.

Actually, the reasons are that stem cells can easily become just about anything needed, and at the same time, as these are brand new cells, they have not had any telomere shortening, and therefore less likely for senescence to happen anytime in the near future.