A cell is the smallest structural and functional unit of an organism. Stem cells are undifferentiated cells. “The essential characteristics of [these] cells are their ability for self-renewal and the ability to form one or more specialised cell types over time” (Carvalho and Ramalho-Santos 596). In other words, they serve as an internal repair system. When a stem cell divides, each new cell can either remain a stem cell or any other type of cell with a normal yet more specialized and enhanced function. These cells have great potential to miraculously treat diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer 's. Further stem cell research can lead to screening new drugs, developing model systems to study normal growth, and identifying
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For example, the risk of immunological rejection is alleviated because it is the patient’s own genetic material that is being used in the process. This treatment allows scientists to create stem cell therapies that are patient-specific and perfectly matched for the patient’s medical condition. Another reason why such cloning is beneficial is because patients will not experience any pain when receiving a transplant. If therapeutic cloning is successful, then replacement organs would become freely available at any time to the sick and dying, thus saving many lives. It also enhances our understanding of stem cells, which could lead to new treatments or cures for common diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, paralysis, etc. Therapeutic cloning has helped thousands people worldwide who have suffered from blood cancers such as leukemia. Today, many cell therapies are being tested for their safety; once they are approved, many people will benefit from them. Although there are many pros in therapeutic cloning, there are also problems in it that should be noted. First, a viable, fertilized egg is required in order for the treatment to be performed. This cloning results in a destroyed embryo after the ESCs are extracted. Second, obtaining eggs from a female is costly and painful. Therapeutic cloning is believed to be unethical since destroying an embryo is no different than destroying a human life. Lastly, it currently has a low success rate, so if anything goes wrong in the process, then the cells could mutate, thus causing tumors in
For example, the risk of immunological rejection is alleviated because it is the patient’s own genetic material that is being used in the process. This treatment allows scientists to create stem cell therapies that are patient-specific and perfectly matched for the patient’s medical condition. Another reason why such cloning is beneficial is because patients will not experience any pain when receiving a transplant. If therapeutic cloning is successful, then replacement organs would become freely available at any time to the sick and dying, thus saving many lives. It also enhances our understanding of stem cells, which could lead to new treatments or cures for common diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, paralysis, etc. Therapeutic cloning has helped thousands people worldwide who have suffered from blood cancers such as leukemia. Today, many cell therapies are being tested for their safety; once they are approved, many people will benefit from them. Although there are many pros in therapeutic cloning, there are also problems in it that should be noted. First, a viable, fertilized egg is required in order for the treatment to be performed. This cloning results in a destroyed embryo after the ESCs are extracted. Second, obtaining eggs from a female is costly and painful. Therapeutic cloning is believed to be unethical since destroying an embryo is no different than destroying a human life. Lastly, it currently has a low success rate, so if anything goes wrong in the process, then the cells could mutate, thus causing tumors in