The dilemma of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research can be a very controversial subject. Many people are supporters of hESC research because they view the embryos to be resourceful experiments in contributing with medication because of the abilities the undifferentiated embryonic stem cells have. Many of the opposing individuals are against scientists who conduct experiments on embryos for personal moral reasons. People who have religious or personal values, argue embryos are “human” and not a tool. They expect scientists and others to respect embryos equivalently as living human individuals. Is it possible to satisfy both conditions? In order to collect embryonic stem cells, the embryos have to be destroyed before development, removing
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Scientists have been able to differentiate embryonic stem cells into functional cardiomyocytes, which are heart muscle cells that can be placed into the heart and help improve heart function. Cardiomyocytes developed from embryonic stem cells were placed in non- beating ventricle heart tissue in Petri dishes. The cardiomyocytes were shown to integrate into the host tissue and generate rhythmic signals that caused the whole tissue to begin to beat.78 They also showed that when the transplanted embryonic-stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes were destroyed, the beating of the tissue stopped, which further suggests that the stem cells restored rhythmic function of cardiac tissue.79 Further transplantation of these cells into cardiac muscle in the body also showed that these cells caused the heart to beat. Developing cardiac cells that can control the heart beat of the heart is important because they could be used to help the pacemaker of the heart function correctly. This way, patients with irregular beating hearts or other cardiac issues will not need a mechanical pacemaker to help the heart beat correctly. This experiment demonstrates that embryonic stem cells can potentially be used to restore the function of damaged tissues or
Scientists have been able to differentiate embryonic stem cells into functional cardiomyocytes, which are heart muscle cells that can be placed into the heart and help improve heart function. Cardiomyocytes developed from embryonic stem cells were placed in non- beating ventricle heart tissue in Petri dishes. The cardiomyocytes were shown to integrate into the host tissue and generate rhythmic signals that caused the whole tissue to begin to beat.78 They also showed that when the transplanted embryonic-stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes were destroyed, the beating of the tissue stopped, which further suggests that the stem cells restored rhythmic function of cardiac tissue.79 Further transplantation of these cells into cardiac muscle in the body also showed that these cells caused the heart to beat. Developing cardiac cells that can control the heart beat of the heart is important because they could be used to help the pacemaker of the heart function correctly. This way, patients with irregular beating hearts or other cardiac issues will not need a mechanical pacemaker to help the heart beat correctly. This experiment demonstrates that embryonic stem cells can potentially be used to restore the function of damaged tissues or