What is Stem Cell Research? | The Benefits of Stem Cell Research

Stem cell research is one of the most innovative research methods being used in modern society. However, it is also not very well known in todays society. Most people are either introduced to it when exposed to the treatment themselves or through a loved one.I was exposed to stem cell research in the ninth grade. Since I went to a STEM(science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) high school, my biology teacher assigned us a report on stem cell research. Since doing that report, I have become passionate about stem cell research and have followed closely the advancements made in the field. Current research can easily be tracked on the National Institute for Health website.

So what is a stem cell? Astem cell is simply a cell that can either reproduce another stem cell or a specialized cell an infinitive amount of times. The specialized cells that can be produced have specific function related to where they are produced in the human body.Stem cell research is also categorized by the stem cell typeused.

Adult stem cells, or somatic cells, are produced from the human body once an individual is born. It can renew itself or become a specialized cell within the body just like the stem cells I explained above. They have no known origin, but they are used in most of the groundbreaking research that is currently happening.

Embryonic stem cells are more controversial since they are produced in the embryo stage of development. All embryonic stem cells originate from an embryo. They are usually grown in a laboratory within a cell culture. There are many misconceptions of embryonic stem cells which will be addressed in the next blog post.

Both types of stem cells have advantages and disadvantages, but the advantage of stem cell research heavily outweigh the disadvantages. It is slowly becoming the future of medicine.

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What is Stem Cell Research? | The Benefits of Stem Cell Research