Carley Lutz

*Embryonic Stem Cells

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=embryos-survive-stem-cell-harvest

*What are stem cells?

*Stem Cells are undifferentiated cells that have the possibility to become a specialized cell

*There are two different types of stem cells- Embryonic and Adult

*Embryonic stem cells are taken from an embryo called a blastocyst that is about 5 days old

*How are they used

*Embryonic stem cells are used for medical research, therapies, and treatments

*Diabetes

*Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy

*Grow Cartilage

*Help Blind People

*Epilepsy

*Parkinson's

*Many genetic disorders

*Cancers

*Step 1: Creating the Embryo

*A donor egg is fertilized through in vitro fertilization and after about 5 days the fertilized egg becomes a blastocyst

*The nucleus from the fertilized egg can be removed and replaced by a nucleus from a cell from the individual receiving the treatment to hopefully prevent the rejection of the stem cells, this is also known as somatic cell nuclear transfer

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101003205930.htmhttp://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v414/n6859/fig_tab/414129a0_F3.html

*Step 2: Retrieving the cells

*Stem cells are obtained from a blastocyst

*This can be done using a pipet

http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/85232/enlargehttp://www.ehow.com/how-does_5241626_nicotine-effects-blastocyst.html

*Stem 3: Growing the cells

*After cells are taken from the blastocyst, they are placed into a petri dish to be cultured

*After cells multiply they are moved into multiple petri dishes to keep growing

http://www.kumc.edu/stem-cell-101/early-stem-cells.htmlhttp://www.inpharm.com/news/stem-cells-and-patents-potent-mix

*Step 4:Making the cells

specialize

*By adding certain signaling molecules, the cell will specialize into a specific cell types such as blood cells, muscle cells, or nerve cells

http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2009-07/swedish-scientists-create-robotic-nerve-cellhttp://www.kidsbiology.com/human_biology/muscles2.phphttp://singularityhub.com/2008/08/22/is-an-unlimited-supply-of-blood-and-no-more-need-for-blood-donors-around-the-corner/

*Step 5: Putting the cells to use

*The cells are then transplanted into the patient or are tested with a drug to see how they will react

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/cellular-microscopic/stem-cell1.htm

*Stem Cell Animation

*http://www.sumanasinc.com/scienceinfocus/stemcells/stemcells.html

Advantages*Embryonic stem cells

have the possibility to become 220 different types of cell

* It has the possibility to treat genetic diseases that before had no cure

Disadvantages*Embryonic stem cells

from a donor can be rejected by the recipient causing tumors

*Many people have ethical issues with the killing of the embryo

*In The Future

*In the future stem cells will be used to treat a wide variety of diseases. Many medical treatments started out with ethical issues. Since this is mainly what is holding back stem cell research, it is likely that it will soon be accepted and can help the people who have incurable diseases get better and continue a normal and healthy life.