Andrew Shorthall | Staff Writer
A new breakthrough in stem cell research may end the moral dilemma that has been a leading cause for politcial and scientific debate.
Dr. James Thomson, biology professor at the University of Wisconsin, and his team discovered they can create cells with the same conversion capabilities as embryonic stem cells according to a recent Reader’s Digest article. These stem cells come from human skin, which does not require an aborted or unused embryo to acquire the cells. They are referred to as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.
Assistant professor of biology at APU, Dr. Morris, works with stem cells and helped defi ne what these new stem cells are: “They’re technically not skin cells; fibroglass is the term. It’s kind of the connective tissue under the skin,” Dr. Morris said. Human skin cells proved more useful in research when four genes were injected into these cells that reprogrammed the cell’s DNA.
These iPS cells discovered by Dr. Thomson are easily reproduced, which allows scientists to create an unlimited supply. Scientists will create cells with disease in order to learn how to provide treatment for these cells, and hope to utilize these cells in repairing damaged or diseased organs. This was not a phenomenon though. A Japanese science team, led by Shinya Yamanaka, discovered they can convert iPS cells into other types of human tissue. They proved this when they transformed iPS cells to nerve and cardiac cells. According to Reader’s Digest, these new iPS cells also have a major advantage over embryonic cells because they are from the person’sown cells, so there is no chance for the body to reject them.
Some researchers say that this new development could possibly end the debate concerning the moral dilemma about stem cell research. The previously used embryonic stem cells may be outdated if skin cells are found to better help healing and repairing the human body.
Dr. Jon Milhon, biology professor at APU, believes the new development will change the moral dilemma regarding stem cell research. However, he is not so optimistic it will cease to exist. “There have been a number of developments that have done similar things,” Milhon said.
This is not the first development in stem cell research, which is why there may not be such a huge uproar. This does not mean this discovery is unimportant though, Milhon said. Morris also agreed with Milhon, surmising it only solves half of the debate around stem cells because this could allow scientists to no longer use stem cells, but it still uses human parts as a drug in a sense.
“If this turns into something huge you’d potentially have to be harvesting fibroglass constantly to keep up with the demand,” Morris said.
Morris also does not believe scientists will stop using embryonic stem cells altogether. He believes they will use embryos for a comparison with the similar, but not identical iPS cells.
Ironically, the catalyst for this debate could be the one to eventually end it with this new discovery. Thomson unconsciously began the moral debate regarding stem cell research when he extracted stem cells from an embryo in 1998.
Since then, stem cell research has caused a divide along scientifi c and political lines. The debate is not settled yet. Thomson and Yamanaka both say this development will take five or more years until it is perfected.
Morris believes this discovery will open some doors for stem cell research in relation to government funding because it will create a new buzz that could lead to a cure for Alzheimers or cancer. It will also allow scientists to fully realize the potential of stem cells.
