Stem Cells: Under the Microscope

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Stem Cells Under the Microscope

• Presented By Chris, Megan, Matt

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Agenda

• Prayer
• Ethical Questions/Issues
• Whats a Stem Cell?
• Church and Government Stance
• Homework
• Class Debate/Poll
• Statistics
• Stem Cells in Our World
• Conclusion

• Purpose/Goal To have every student leave class
  with a basic working knowledge of stem cell
  research and the debate surrounding the issue.

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Prayer

• Led by Chris Scott
• We Give Thanks This Day
• By O. Eugene Pickett
• The words to this prayer can be found
  on your handout.

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The Ethical Questions Surrounding Stem Cell
Research

• How do we decide between the benefits of research
  vs. human dignity?
• Should we research on potential life for the
  benefit of another living person?
• How do we decide what embryos/fetuses can be
  researched on?

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• Definitions
• Stem Cell cell that is unspecialized and can
  differentiate into any type of cell.
• Embryonic Stem Cell stem cells derived from
  embryos and fetuses, usually found in the core of
  the placenta.
• Adult Stem Cell stem cells derived from human
  beings beyond the embryonic and fetal stages
  cells can be found in bone marrow.
• Differentiate cells that continue to divide.
• Pluripotent stem cells can differentiate into
  any specialized cell type.
• Supernumerary Embryos spare embryos obtained
  through in vitro fertilization.
• Regenerative Medicine exploiting a cells
  immortality(cells that continue to divide
  indefinitely) and pluripotence to reconstitute
  organs damaged by disease or accident.
• Therapy the use of cells as therapeutic tools.
• Reification treating an embryo like a thing.

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What is a Stem Cell? What is the purpose of a
Stem Cell?

• Two Types of Stem Cells Embryonic and Adult
• Sources Spare Embryos Aborted Fetuses bone
  marrow umbilical cord
• Stem cells differentiate in to
• transplantable tissue
• Developing therapies for
• disorders such as Parkinsons disease

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Pros and Cons

• Pros
• Potential source of medical therapies.
• Can cure/treat diseases such as Parkinsons
  disease.
• Embryonic stem cell research can be done using
  umbilical cords without endangering or destroying
  life.
• Cons
• Stem cells can continue to differentiate, causing
  cancerous tumors to form
• Derived from unused embryos and aborted fetuses

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Churchs View on Stem Cell Research

• Embryonic stem cell research is NOT an option
  according to the Church.
• -Embryonic stem cell research goes against Church
  teaching of the sanctity of life.
• -Church makes similar arguments regarding
  abortion, stating that life of any form is sacred
  whether it be an embryo or a mature adult.

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Stem Cells and the Church(continued)

• The Church does not condemn research using ADULT
  stem cells because it does not harm or destroy
  human life.
• -Obtaining Adult stem cells does not usually
  threaten the sanctity of a persons life.
• -Correlates with the Churchs idea that medical
  research is accepted as long as it does not
  threaten life in any form.

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Government Views on Use of Stem Cells

• US law prohibits government funded research.
• Legal to fund embryonic stem cell research as
  long as government funds are not used.
• Government, however, WILL and DOES fund
  embryonic stem cell research for cell lines
  created before August 9, 2001.
• Restrictions Woman giving cells must be
  respected and research does not encourage
  abortion.

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Homework

• IPN(on board)
• -small group and class discussion about the two
  articles you read concerning the two viewpoints
  of stem cell research.
• Group Discussion(will be explained in following
  slide)

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Class Discussion

• What do you think
• About the derivation of embryonic stem cells?
• Do the benefits of stem cell research out weigh
  the costs?
• Is the embryo a person, a mass of human cells, or
  something in between that requires special
  consideration?

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Put Yourself in this Position

• Your mother, grandmother, brother, and
  great-grandfather have all suffered and died of
  Parkinsons disease. You live in fear of
  discovering the fact that you have the disease
  also.Would you support the use of embryonic stem
  cells to find a cure?

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The Ethical Questions Surrounding Stem Cell
Research

• How do we decide between the benefits of research
  vs. human dignity?
• Should we research on potential life for the
  benefit of another living person?
• How do we decide what embryos/fetuses can be
  researched on?

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Conclusion Stem Cell Research in the Future of
Our Nation

• The debate over stem cell research will continue
  to rage on for years to come. In the US, The
  Senate and Capitol Hill are dealing with two
  bills attempting to be passed concerning stem
  cell research
• Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 H.R.
  810, S. 471
• Stem Cell Therapeutic Research Act of 2005 H.R.
  2520, S. 1317
• These two bills could set a future precedent for
  scientific and medical research and also hold the
  potential to save millions of lives. Stem cell
  research may be the key to saving lives or it may
  be another dead end in the search for a cure.