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1 I n t r o d u c t I o n t o c e l l s

The ethics of stem cell research

Ethical implications of research: research involving stem cells is growing in

impor tance and raises ethical issues.

Stem cell research has been very controversial. Decisions about whether research is ethically

Many ethical objections have been raised. acceptable must be based on a clear understanding

Scientists should always consider the ethical of the science involved. Some people dismiss all

implications of their research before doing it. stem cell research as unethical, but this shows a

Some of the research that was carried out in the misunderstanding of the different possible sources

past would not be considered ethically acceptable of the stem cells being used. In the next section,

today, such as medical research carried out on three possible sources of stem cells and the ethics

patients without their informed consent. of research involving them are discussed.

Sources of stem cells and the ethics of using them

Ethics of the therapeutic use of stem cells from specially created embryos, from

the umbilical cord blood of a new-born baby and from an adult’s own tissues.

Stem cells can be obtained from a variety of sources.

●
Embryos can be deliberately created by and stored for possible use later in the

fertilizing egg cells with sperm and allowing baby’slife.

the resulting zygote to develop for a few days

●
Stem cells can be obtained from some adult

until it has between four and sixteen cells. All

tissues such as bone marrow.

of the cells are embryonic stem cells.

These types of stem cell vary in their properties and

●
Blood can be extracted from the umbilical
therefore in their potential for therapeutic use. The

cord of a new-born baby and stem cells

table below gives some properties of the three types,

obtained from it. The cells can be frozen

to give the scientic basis for an ethical assessment.

emyi m  c  m  A m 

● ● ●
Almost unlimited growth potential. Easily obtained and stored. Dicult to obtain as there are

very few of them and they are

●
Can dierentiate into any type in ●
Commercial collection and

buried deep in tissues.

the body.
storage services already

●
● available. Less growth potential than
More risk of becoming tumour

embryonic stem cells.

cells than with adult stem cells,
●
Fully compatible with the tissues of

including teratomas that contain

●
the adult that grows from the baby, Less chance of malignant

dierent tissue types.

so no rejection problems occur. tumours developing than from

●
Less chance of genetic damage embryonic stem cells.
●
Limited capacity to dierentiate

due to the accumulation of

●
into dierent cell types – only Limited capacity to dierentiate

mutations than with adult

naturally develop into blood into dierent cell types.

stem cells.
cells, but research may lead to
●
Fully compatible with the adult’s

●
Likely to be genetically dierent
production of other types.
tissues, so rejection problems do

from an adult patient receiving

●
Limited quantities of stem cells not occur.

the tissue.

from one baby’s cord.

●
Removal of stem cells does not

●
Removal of cells from the

●
The umbilical cord is discarded kill the adult from which the cells

embryo kills it, unless only one

whether or not stem cells are are taken.

or two cells are taken.

taken from it.

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1 C E L L B I O L O G Y

Stem cell research has been very controversial. have lived has been denied its chance of living.

Many ethical objections have been raised. There However, a counterargument is that it is unethical

are most objections to the use of embryonic stem to create human lives solely for the purpose of

cells, because current techniques usually involve obtaining stem cells. Also, IVF involves hormone

the death of the embryo when the stem cells are treatment of women, with some associated risk, as

taken. The main question is whether an early well as an invasive surgical procedure forremoval

stage embryo is as much a human individual as a of eggs from the ovary. If women are paid for

new-born baby, in which case killing the embryo supplying eggs for IVF this could lead to the

is undoubtedly unethical. exploitation of vulnerable groups such as college

students.

When does a human life begin? There are different

views on this. Some consider that when the We must not forget

sperm fertilizes the egg, a human life has begun. ethical arguments

Others say that early stage embryos have not yet in favour of the

developed human characteristics and cannot suffer use of embryonic

pain, so they should be thought of simply as groups stem cells. They

of stem cells. Some suggest that a human life truly have the potential

begins when there is a heartbeat, or bone tissue or to allow methods

brain activity. These stages take place after a few of treatment

weeks of development. Another view is that it is for diseases and

only when the embryo has developed into a fetus disabilities that are

that is capable of surviving outside the uterus. currently incurable,

so they could greatly

Some scientists argue that if embryos are specially

reduce the suffering ▲ Figure 22 Har vesting umbilical

created by in vitro fertilization (IVF) in order to

of some individuals. cord blood

obtain stem cells, no human that would otherwise

1.2 ua   

Understanding
Applications

➔ Prokaryotes have a simple cell structure

➔ The structure and function of organelles within

without compar tments.

exocrine gland cells of the pancreas.

➔ Eukaryotes have a compar tmentalized cell

➔ The structure and function of organelles within

structure.

palisade mesophyll cells of the leaf.

➔ Prokaryotes divide by binary ssion.

➔ Electron microscopes have a much higher

resolution than light microscopes.

Nature of science Skills

➔ Developments in scientic research follow ➔ Drawing the ultrastructure of prokaryotic cells

improvements in apparatus: the invention based on electron micrographs.

of electron microscopes led to greater

➔ Drawing the ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells

understanding of cell structure.

based on electron micrographs.

➔ Interpretation of electron micrographs to

identify organelles and deduce the function of

specialized cells.

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