What Is Embryonic Stem Cell Research?

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs, referred to as ES, EK, or ESC cells) are a type of cells isolated from early embryos (before the gastrula stage) or primitive gonads. Differentiation characteristics. Whether in vitro or in vivo, ES cells can be induced to differentiate into almost all cell types in the body.

Evans and Kaufman successfully isolated mouse ES cells for the first time in 1981.

Stem cells in natural embryos are a type of "totipotent" cell that can differentiate into all types of cells. Swiss scientists have discovered that the secret to the pluripotency of embryonic cells lies in a protein. This protein is called Pramel7, and it exists in early embryonic cells. It can prevent the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) code in the genome from being "sealed" with a chemical tag and keep the genome open ^[4]

Embryonic stem cell research has always been a controversial field. Supporters believe that this research will help cure many incurable diseases. It is a life-saving charity act and a manifestation of scientific progress. Opponents argue that embryonic stem cell research must destroy the embryo, which is the life form of a person in the womb before it has formed. Therefore, if support for embryonic stem cell research is tantamount to encouraging others to "kill life", it is immoral and unethical.

Embryonic stem cell Bush firmly opposes

The US Senate debated on July 17, 2006 a proposal to increase government funding for embryonic stem cell research funding. The new bill requires increased federal government funding for stem cell research to conduct embryonic stem cell research on clinical embryos that will be abandoned and frozen. The debate that day was quite fierce, and both sides discussed the pros and cons of the motion with strong emotions. However, from the current situation, it is not difficult for the Senate to pass the bill.

But the headache for many is President Bush's attitude. Bush has previously stated that if the bill is passed in the Senate, he will use the veto power of the president to prevent the bill from being implemented. On the 17th, the White House issued a similar statement, saying that "he (the president) will exercise the veto power on the bill."

Scientists used to study embryonic stem cells in the past and had to make a big deal on the embryo. Some people think that doing so will sacrifice the embryo, that is, indirectly, a small future life, so it has aroused many ethical objections and rebuke. The White House statement said: "This bill will force U.S. taxpayers to provide financial support for human embryonic stem cell research, and we should not use public money to support lives that destroy lives."

Of course, Bush also has many allies. They also believe that the embryo is a future life and cannot be killed by scientific research. Moreover, the research on embryonic stem cells is still in its initial stages, and there is still a long way to go before clinical trials, let alone to treat diseases. "We can't cruelly test some embryos just because they can't develop into life," said Republican Senator Jim Berning. "Does anyone know how many embryos need to be destroyed before substantial progress can be made in this area of research?"

Embryonic stem cells strive for

Proponents, especially some moderate Republicans, believe that the American people need to expand stem cell research. They point out that expanding stem cell research with some discarded embryos is the right thing for Americans on a voluntary basis. Stem cell research is seen as a hope for new treatments for neurological and brain disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Former United States First Lady Nancy Reagan is an enthusiastic person who actively promoted the formation of this bill. Her husband, former President Reagan died of Alzheimer's dementia in 2004, and if breakthroughs in stem cell research are made, the disease is expected to cure in the future. "She's still running around about it," said Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy. "We all know that it is because of her efforts that this motion is today and it is possible to achieve an ideal result."

Spector, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a cancer patient himself, and cancer is a disease that can be treated with stem cell research, so he is also one of the advocates of this bill. He also likened the opponents of the bill to resistance to the wheel of science, calling them "stupid, irrational, and absolutely ridiculous."

Frist, the Senate majority leader, also holds this view. "We will unite so that science continues within the boundaries of ethics," he said.

On July 19, 2006, US President Bush used the veto power for the first time in five years since he took office, vetoing a Senate proposal to fund embryonic stem cell research, a move that has aroused widespread debate and concern in all sectors of society. In contrast, on July 24, ministers responsible for scientific research in the EU-25 countries held a meeting in Brussels and decided to continue funding EU researchers to conduct limited human stem cell research. The moral controversy has become a bottleneck restricting stem cell research, and science and ethics have once again become opposites.

Embryonic stem cells receive legal support

A federal appeals court in the United States ruled on April 29, 2011, allowing the federal government to continue funding human embryonic stem cell research. This is an important phased victory for American human embryonic stem cell research supporters ^[8] .

The District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals announced in a ruling on the same day that it lifted a temporary ban on human embryonic stem cell research issued by a U.S. District Court judge last year. The judgment also states that federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research does not appear to violate relevant US laws ^[8] .

On August 23 last year, District Court of Columbia District Judge Royce Lambeth issued a temporary injunction against a lawsuit filed by two American stem cell researchers, barring federal funds from funding human embryonic stem cell research for violations of the law, etc. According to Lambeth, an amendment passed by Congress "explicitly prohibits" federal research funding for all research that needs to destroy human embryos, and all human embryonic stem cell research will include steps to destroy embryos. Therefore, the National Institutes of Health issued a The human embryonic stem cell research code violates this amendment ^[8] .

However, the District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia stated in its latest ruling that the amendment is "ambiguous" and the National Institutes of Health has reason to believe that although the amendment prohibits the destructive behavior of stem cell extraction from embryos, it does not prohibit it. Federal funding funds research projects that use only human embryonic stem cells. The Court of Appeal accordingly invalidated the interim injunction issued by Lambeth last year ^[8] .

A spokesman for the White House said on the same day that the ruling of the Court of Appeal is a "victory" for American scientists and patients worldwide, and patients will benefit from medical breakthroughs brought by the Stem Cell Institute ^[8] .

Human embryonic stem cell research is controversial in the United States. In 2001, former US President George W. Bush ruled that federal funding was only allowed to fund already existing embryonic stem cell research. The current president, Obama, lifted the above restrictions in an executive order in 2009. Obama believes that "the United States has previously taken the wrong choice in human embryonic stem cell research, causing some of the best scientists to be forced to conduct research in other countries. Obama's policy is firm Supporting scientists to carry out research on embryonic stem cells fully reflects that scientific policies should be based on science, so that the United States is expected to take the lead in the field of life sciences. ^{[9] The} National Institutes of Health subsequently introduced embryonic stem cell research that year. Specification. ^[8]

New directions in embryonic stem cell research

Because embryonic stem cells have barriers to immunological rejection and ethical dilemmas in medical applications, scientists are trying other ways to replace embryonic stem cells. Scientists have tried to reprogram patients' somatic cells into stem cells for their own use through cell reprogramming. The main branches include nuclear transfer, cell fusion of patient somatic cells with donor embryonic stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells. Among them, induced pluripotent stem cells have emerged in the past five years and have quickly attracted great attention from the academic community.