Stem Cells Won't Cost Life Anymore...

A major breakthrough in the field of therapeutic cloning has increased the growth of bio-technology sector to manifolds. Scientists have discovered something valid that could end the ethical debate over stem cell research.

Scientists at the labs of advanced cell technology in Worcester say they found a way to develop new stem cells without destroying human embryos. Harvesting the new stem cells could lead to treatments for debilitating illnesses.

The process involves removing a single cell from an embryo, a procedure that is already done for genetic testing. The Scientists have turned an ordinary skin cell into what appears to be an embryonic stem cell. The new technique involves fusing a skin cell with an existing, laboratory-grown embryonic stem cell. The fused, or hybrid, cell is reprogrammed to its embryonic state.

Using spare human IVF embryos, the researchers removed single cells from them, employing the same procedure used for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), a technique that has been used in IVF so cells can be removed from the embryo and tested for genetic disorders.

The process, said the team, leaves the embryo intact, enabling it to continue and grow into a healthy foetus.

The new type of stem cells is essentially a rejuvenated version of a person's own skin cells. A stem cell created by the new method would have DNA identical to that of the skin cell donor.

Scientists hope embryonic stem cells can eventually be used to grow new tissue and replacement organs and to cure a range of ailments, from spinal cord injuries to Alzheimer's disease.

But this isn’t the complete story, so far. There had been a major pullout from the American government in this issue earlier. At that time President Bush placed limits on federal funding and declared that the money could only be used to study stem cell lines derived from embryos that had been already been destroyed before the limit was set.

This resulted in fewer high-quality lines being available than originally thought and though some state and private money has been used to fill the gap in research funding, scientists say more federal money is needed for any credible research to happen.

The revolutionary research has made it easier for the present community to abide by the present situation of law and order. With no human embryos to be destroyed hence further, it would be easier for Mr. Bush to accept the developments made in the world of stem cells.