Stem Cells Saving a Life for the Sake of Another

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Stem CellsSaving a Life for the Sake of Another

Drew, Joe, Adrianne, John, Tyler and Kelsey
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What are Stem Cells?

• Stem cells-undifferentiated cell that can give
  rise to other cells of the same type indefinitely
  or from which specialized cells such as blood
  cells develop.
• can become a heart cell, bone cell, brain cell
  ect..

The Two Types

• Embryonic have the most potential to
  differentiate and are the most versatile because
  they are pluripotent cells.
• Adult are undifferentiated cells that are found
  in a tiny number of adult tissues. They are
  mostly multipotent, and they have less potential
  to differentiate than ESC.

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Embryonic vs. Adult Stem Cells
Embryonic
Adult

• Come from embryos of a few days to two weeks old.
  
• Pluripotent- can become any type of cell except
  germ cells
• Much more versatile

• Come from adult tissues and even umbilical cords.
  
• Multipotent- they can become many types of cells
  but not as many as embryonic stem cells

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The Catholic Churchs Stance

• Against the, destruction, of human embryo's for
  research.
• Avoid the issue by not using embryonic stem
  cells, use adult stem cells, they are obtained
  easier and dont sacrifice human life.
• As stated in The Seamless Garment, Human life
  begins in the womb and goes to the tomb.
• The Doctrine of faith states, human beings are
  to be respected and treated as a person from the
  moment of conception and therefore from that same
  moment his rights as a person must be
  considered.

The Pope believes Stem Cell Research is unethical
and said, the United States needs to show the
world that we can be masters and not products of
technology.
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Ethical Questions Regarding Stem Cell Research

• Is it moral to destroy a life to save another?
• Should human beings be the subjects for medical
  experiments?
• What role should the Catholic Church take in
  preventing Stem Cell Research?
• When do the right of a human begin?
• If embryos are protected under federal homicide
  laws, why arent they protected from abortion.

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Medical Fields Approach
The use and research of stem cells may treat
fatal diseases and cures can be
discovered. Therapy will revolutionize modern
medicine. Give new hope to people with incurable
diseases. They believe that people one we may
have the potential to grow our own organs for
transplantation from our own stem cells. Uses
the Utilitarian Approach, greatest good for
greatest amount of people.
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What do stem cells have the potential to do?

• Potentially Curable Diseases
• Cancer
• Parkinsons Disease
• Diabetes
• Kidney Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Mascular Degeneration
• Victims of paralysis could regain movement
• Repair of Spinal Injuries

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Governments Stance/ Federal Funding

• States support and pass laws to allow stem cell
  research to occur
• Bush argues that since stem cells can replicate
  themselves within a Petri dish, we dont need
  anymore embryos.
• George Bush threatened to veto an expansion on
  research because he believes it is crossing a
  critical ethical line.
• As we seek to improve human life, we must always
  preserve human dignity. And therefore, we must
  prevent human cloning by stopping it before it
  starts.

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Dangers of Stem Cells
Humans begin to accept terms like the embryos
are going to be discarded anyway.
A burying effect of ethical values for individual
benefit.
The buying and selling of human embryos on the
black market. The selling of human beings for
money. Example (Prostitution and Slavery)
Creates A wider gap between rich and poor. Only
the rich will be able to afford the treatment.
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Reactions to this cartoon
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Reactions to this cartoon
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How many people believe the advantages of Stem
Cell research outweigh the negatives?

• Does anyone feel like it is the Catholic Churchs
  responsibility to stem in on the matter?
• Did anyones view change through this
  presentation? What new things did you learn that
  changed your mind.