Stem-cell ethics.Virginia lawmakers have voted to fund stem cell stem cell In living organisms, an undifferentiated cell that can produce other cells that eventually make up specialized tissues and organs. There are two major types of stem cells, embryonic and adult. research in the name of Christopher Reeve, but to limit the study to sources other than embryos such as bone marrow or umbilical cord blood umbilical cord blood Transplantation A source of primitive and stem cells that can be used to reconstitute BM destroyed by aplastic anemia or by RT or chemotherapy for CA, lymphoproliferative malignancies. See Bone marrow transplantation, Stem cell therapy. . Financial support for the Christopher Reeve Stem Cell Research Fund will come from state appropriations or other public and private funding. The legislature also established a joint subcommittee to study medical, ethical and scientific policy matters. It will look at the effect of restrictions on the creation of in vitro in vitro /in vi·tro/ (in ve´tro) [L.] within a glass; observable in a test tube; in an artificial environment. in vi·tro adj. In an artificial environment outside a living organism. fertilized fer·til·ize v. fer·til·ized, fer·til·iz·ing, fer·til·iz·es v.tr. 1. To cause the fertilization of (an ovum, for example). 2. embryos for purposes other than childbirth, compensation for egg and sperm donation for purposes other than procreation PROCREATION. The generation of children; it is an act authorized by the law of nature: one of the principal ends of marriage is the procreation of children. Inst. tit. 2, in pr. , and the efficacy of research on adult stem cells rather than embryonic stem cells. At least three other states have considered funding stem cell research on adult cells only, which some lawmakers view as a promising alternative to embryonic stem cell research--and one with fewer ethical pitfalls. A few states, including Florida and New Jersey, have developed cord blood banks to help facilitate collection and storage of stem cells stem cells, unspecialized human or animal cells that can produce mature specialized body cells and at the same time replicate themselves. Embryonic stem cells are derived from a blastocyst (the blastula typical of placental mammals; see embryo), which is very young from newborns' umbilical cords. Other states such as Illinois and Maryland require that providers or hospitals give patients the option to donate cord blood and Congress is looking at legislation that would establish a national cord blood bank. Meanwhile, interest in embryonic stem cell research has not abated. At least seven states are considering bills that would provide funding for embryonic stem cell research. California and New Jersey already do. In total, lawmakers have introduced more than 120 bills related to stem cell research this year. Approximately half would place limits on embryonic research. |
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