The new Democratic Congress prepared to vote on a bill to fund stem-cell research that kills human embryos.* The new Democratic Congress prepared to vote on a bill to fund stem-cell research that kills human embryos. But science may be mooting the debate. According to the advocates of funding, embryonic stem cells have more promise than adult stem cells because they are "pluripotent plu·rip·o·tent or plu·ri·po·ten·tial adj. 1. Capable of affecting more than one organ or tissue. 2. Not fixed as to potential development. Used of an embryonic cell. ": They can become any number of other types of cells. But it is becoming increasingly clear that pluripotent stem cells can be derived without killing human embryos. One area of research involves reprogramming Reprogramming refers to erasure and remodeling of epigenetic marks, such as DNA methylation, during mammalian development[1]. After fertilization some cells of the newly formed embryo migrate to the germinal ridge and will eventually become the germ cells regular cells to become 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 . And a new study has found that stem cells taken from amniotic fluid amniotic fluid n. The fluid within the amnion that surrounds the fetus and protects it from injury. Amniotic fluid The liquid that surrounds the baby within the amniotic sac. are pluripotent--and may be more stable than embryonic stem cells to boot. One sometimes gets the impression that some supporters of embryo-destructive research are chiefly concerned to smite the pro-lifers. As the science progresses, however, they may lose the backing of people who are more interested in cures than controversy. |
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