Final answer:
Human embryonic stem cell research faces issues like immune rejection and ethical controversies. Somatic stem cells circumvent these by being genetical matches to the patient and not involving embryo destruction.
Step-by-step explanation:
Two major problems associated with research using human embryonic stem cells are the potential for immune rejection and ethical concerns. First, embryonic stem cells may be seen as foreign by a patient's immune system, leading to rejection. Second, the use of embryonic stem cells involves the destruction of embryos, which raises significant ethical and legal issues.
Somatic stem cells provide solutions to these problems in a couple of ways. Unlike embryonic stem cells, somatic or adult stem cells are less likely to be rejected after transplantation because they can be harvested from the patient’s own body, thereby being a perfect genetic match. Additionally, there are fewer ethical concerns with somatic stem cells as their collection does not necessitate the destruction of embryos.