Stem Cell Dilemmas

• What is therapeutic cloning?

  patient’s cells are used to create an early embryo clone of themselves – stem cells from the embryo can then be used to treat the patient’s medical conditions
• Give one advantage of using therapeutic cloning.

  stem cells from the embryo are not rejected when transplanted because they have the same genes as the patient
• Where do embryonic stem cells come from?

  aborted embryos or spare embryos from fertility treatment
• What is an ethical objection of using embryonic stem cells?

  violation of the embryo's rights as it can't give permission
• What is a religious objection of using embryonic stem cells?

  should not interfere with the natural process of reproduction
• What is an ethical and social objection of using embryonic stem cells?

  It's a lot of money - could be used to treat other medical conditions - wasted on stem cell research
• What is the concern that stem cells could cause because they divide rapidly?

  cancer
• Why is the development of the process of stem cells slow and expensive?

  Scientists are finding it hard to 'persuade' stem cells to differentiate
• Why are embryonic stem cells preferred to adult stem cells?

  Adult stem cells could transmit viruses to another person or trigger an immune response.
• What had therapeutic cloning been successful in?

  producing new organs, such as tracheas.
• Where have scientists discovered stem cells in previously unknown areas?

  tubes connecting the liver and the pancreas to the small intestine
• What is a disadvantage of meristems?


  cloned plants are genetically identical, so a whole crop is at risk of being destroyed by a single disease or genetic defect