Genetic Engineering Stem Cells by Shivi Agarwal

Itinerary followed for Padlet Sept 21 st – Read a journal and wrote its summary Sept 24 th - Posted questionnaire Sept 26 th – Mentioned the sources (Post proof) Sept 29 th – Survey Oct 1 st – Prepared the glossary Oct 6 th – Brainstormed over the applications and future development of the topic and concluded.

What are stem cells?  Stem cells are undifferentiated biological cells that can differentiate into different type of cells and can divide to produce more stem cells.  There are two broad types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are only found in the inner of blastocysts while adult stem cells are found in many tissues. Stem cells can also be taken from umbilical cord just after the birth which is the safest mode of harvesting stem cells  Embryonic stem cells are widely used for research purposes while on the other hand adult stem cells are frequently used in medical therapies, ranging from bone marrow transplantation to curing serious heart diseases.

Potential uses of stem cells  Stem cells can be used to study development  Stem cells have the ability to replace damaged cells and treat disease  Stem cells could be used to study disease  Stem cells could provide a resource for testing new medical treatments

Potential threat of using stem cells  Passing on Viruses : A possible concern is that stem cell therapy could pass on viruses or other microscopic agents that cause disease.  Diseases From Other Animals : Animal sources may be used to provide nutrients to stem cells that are being cultivated in the laboratory.. A concern is that screening is currently insufficient to detect known diseases that may be present. Also, there may be diseases we are still yet unaware of that could be passed on to humans.  Uncontrolled Growth : Stem cells need to be cultivated and directed into specialised cells with great care because the potential for remaining stem cells to grow uncontrolled could be disastrous. These uncontrolled cells could eventually form tumours  Misdirected Growth : The possibility of transplanted stem cells differentiating into the wrong type of tissue is yet another concern regarding therapeutic stem cell use

Conclusion  Stem cell research offers great promise for understanding basic mechanisms of human development and differentiation, as well as the hope for new treatments for diseases such as diabetes, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, and myocardial infarction. However, human stem cell research also raises sharp ethical and political controversies.  Although, stem cells have great potential for the betterment of our society but only further research and development can make it more accessible for regular use in medical field.

Thank you!