Therapeutic Cloning and Breast Implants:
New Technologies Change Public Opinion
Stem cell research is experiencing great advances, allowing humans to see a future where diseases of today will not be of such concern tomorrow. The latest advancement in the field of stem cell research, therapeutic cloning, allows the use of genetic material from an individual inserted into embryonic cells to create new cells that can be used to replace damaged or nonfunctioning cells implicated in major diseases from heart disease to Alzheimer's to diabetes. In addition, stem cell technology is now being used for the future creation of breast implants to create a safer, more consumer-friendly option for women in need of breast replacements. An upside of this new application is that it may make therapeutic cloning research for medical purposes more palatable to people who would otherwise not see the immediate benefits of stem cell-based technology.
In order to understand what therapeutic cloning is and how it can be applied, it is first relevant to review stem cell research and the controversies surrounding it. Stem cell technology utilizes cells that can be changed to other types of cells to replace damaged cells in the body. The term ôstem cellsö comes from the likeness of these human cells to specialized cells in a plant stem that can become other cells and ultimately give rise to the bark, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit of a plant (Bohlin, 2004). Human stem cells can be found places in the body that need cells replaced on a regular basis, such as the skin, cells lining the lungs and intestinal tract, and the progenitors of red and white blood cells (Bohlin, 2004). There are two main types of stem cell therapy, that involving adult stem cells and that involving embryonic stem cells.
Adult stem cell technology is more advanced and has recently moved into the clinical trial stage (Bohlin, 2004). It involves removing stem cells from a ...