Question

Diferentiate between embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. In what way are the ethical dilemmas associated with the use of embryonic stem cells different than those posed by the use of adult stem cells?

Answer 1

Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent cells derived from early-stage embryos, capable of differentiating into any type of cell. Adult stem cells are multipotent and found in mature tissues, limited to certain cell types. Ethical dilemmas differ due to the source of the cells, with embryonic stem cells being associated with concerns over embryo destruction.

Step-by-step explanation:

Difference Between Embryonic and Adult Stem Cells

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and adult stem cells (also known as somatic stem cells) are both integral to developmental biology and medical research. However, they possess distinct characteristics and capabilities.

Embryonic stem cells are derived from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, an early-stage pre-implantation embryo. They are pluripotent, which means they have the ability to differentiate into any cell type of the body. In contrast, adult stem cells are found in various tissues of an already developed organism and are multipotent, restricted to becoming a limited range of cell types that are related to their tissue of origin.

The ethical dilemmas surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells mainly revolve around the destruction of human embryos, which raises significant concerns for many individuals and groups. In contrast, adult stem cells raise fewer ethical issues because their harvesting generally does not involve the destruction of an embryo and can sometimes be collected from the patient themselves, offering a more ethical and immune-compatible treatment option. The use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) stands as an advancement in the field that circumvents many of these ethical concerns as they are adult cells genetically reprogrammed to behave like their embryonic counterparts.

Answer 2

Answer:

Step-by-step explanation:

Embryonic stem cells

These stem cells come from eggs that have been fertilized in vitro during IVF procedure, and were donated for research with the consent of the donors.

They are pluripotent: they have the potential to differentiate into almost any cell in the body.

Adult stem cells

Found in most organs in an individual who has already been born, they are responsible for tissue renewal or repair of damage. They can renew themselves or differentiate into the cell types of the tissue of origin.

They are multipotent, thus limited in their ability to differentiate: they will only produce specific cell types (e.g. neural stem cells produce neurons and glia).

Ethical concerns

The research with embryonic stem cells starts with an embryo in its early stages that can't develop outside the womb. Some people consider this early embryo a human being and are against scientific research with it, while others think that it's not a human being yet and research is not harmful because it couldn't survive unless implanted. In addition, experimentation with embryos could induce unplanned genetic mutations that could cause clinical aberrations if the embryo were implanted and allowed to develop into an adult individual.

In contrast, adult stem cells are not really controversial as they are cells derived from tissues from grown individuals. The main ethical issues are related to donor consent to obtain the cells.