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What Are Embryonic Stem Cells and How Can They Help Us?
Published Mar 30, 2020 · E. Meshorer
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Abstract
All living things, including humans, are made of cells. Each tissue and organ of the body contains cells that are specialized to perform specific jobs–the liver contains liver cells, the brain contains neurons, the eyes contain light-detecting cells, and so on. But all human life begins with the encounter between two cells: the sperm cell from the father and the egg cell from the mother. Fertilization occurs when the sperm cell meets the egg cell. The fertilized egg cell divides into two cells. Each cell then divides into two additional cells and so on until, after a few days of cell division, a tiny embryo develops. In the early stages, the microscopic embryo is made up of cells that have the potential to develop into all types of cells. Scientists managed to grow these embryonic cells in the lab, and named them embryonic stem cells (ESCs). While ESCs offer promising and exciting opportunities, like the possibility of growing organs in the lab, the production of ESCs requires human embryos, which involves many technical and ethical problems. In 2007, researchers found a way to produce human cells with the abilities of ESCs by reprogramming regular cells so that they become stem cells. Today, scientists can change almost every type of cell into almost every other type of cell!
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) offer promising and exciting opportunities for scientists to create organs in the lab, but require human embryos for production due to technical and ethical issues.
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