Stem Cell question

[sarahvait]

Nah, this isn't really a pro or anti stem cell topic. First off, I'll get this right out of the way. I watch Law and Order on a fairly regular basis. The regular one, Special Victims Unit, and Criminal Intent (because I happen to like Vincent D'Onofrio). I don't watch it religiously; it's more one of those shows that I see is on and I'm like, "Hey, that'll do", but I'm never frothing at the mouth to watch it. I enjoy it since all the episodes are pretty much stand alone, so it's not like I have to watch any of the episodes in any kind of order or really invest in finding out about the characters. One episode is enough to show you who are the "Law" characters and who are the "Order" characters and why they matter. And, as someone interested in acting, I like seeing all the different actors you get to see in the show who come in to play the victims, witnesses, villians, blah, blah, blah. (Hey kids, it's Zach from Saved by the Bell!)

Sorry, rambling, I know. Back to the actual topic. I was watching a SPU episode and it was about some comatose girl getting raped because some guy was paid by a rich old man with Parkinson's to abort the baby and use the stem cells to help cure him. They had all that usual ethical and what not discussions, and at the end, it's found out that the old man is suing for custody of the comatose girl's baby, which was not aborted because the police stopped it in time. When the policewoman was questioning why, the blond lawyer said it was because an umblical (sp?) cord's blood is full of stem cells that doctors could use on the old man.

Obviously, Law and Order is not really the thing to use in terms of totally correct facts, but if this is true, then what's the problem with getting all stem cells this way? What if hospitals just took some of the cord blood after someone gives birth and used those stem cells instead? Then there wouldn't be any of that ethical dilemma of using a baby fetus to do it. Probably, the parents would probably still would the right to consent to donating the blood. But if there's no harm to the child, then why not agree to donate some of the cord blood? I'm not versed in the medical field, so what is wrong about the idea? Are stem cells from the cord blood not as good as from a baby fetus? Is there a risk to the parent or child? Is there still an ethical dilemma?

 

[sarahvait]

that episode was jaust a cash in of americans fear of stem cells, stem cells do not involve killing babies.

Well, yeah. That's generally what most of the episodes of Law and Order tend to be. Cash ins on fears, I mean.

 

[Aardvark]

It's Law and Order. It's junk TV. Passes the time, but you're not meant to feel full afterwards. You're meant to consume more junk.

I rather enjoy all their "OMG!!?#@# H4X0RZ?%@!!oneeleven11!" episodes that crop up now and then to remind us that young people are all on the intertubes, steal our bank details and signing us up for marketing scams. Or the one where an MMO was encouraging people to commit real crimes. Just incase you were wondering what WoW might do to your spawn's brain while you're busy neglecting him.

 

[Lavi]

There are plenty ways of getting stem cells. Technically, you can just remove or deactivate certain genes (which probably code for proteins specific to tissues) from differentiated cells. Embrionic is just easier.

 

[darkless]

Because the Stem cells in the umbilical chord are instrumental to the babies growth you romove them and your child could be born with weak bones or something like that

 

[wewontdie11]

As somebody who will probably end up working with stem cells at some point, I am firmly pro stem cell no matter where they get them from. If there is a chance that a cluster of cells from an umbilical cord that will probably go to waste (unless it's in one of those cultures where they eat the placenta and all that) might help somebody walk again, or cure degenerative mental diseases then I think it's a no brainer (no pun intended).

 

[TheHorizon]

I'm pretty sure you can either right now or very very soon start using adult stem cells on people.

I saw that on Digg a month ago maybe.

 

[Blue Sonnet]

They DO take stem cells from umbilical cord blood after birth. I guess they could have said that he wanted the cells sooner rather than later, but that series isn't too hot on accuracy I guess. Anyway, it's a pretty regular procedure in a lot of hospitals, after the mothers consent of course.

These cells are called "adult" as opposed to "embryonic", the latter of which is controversial because of the way the cells are harvested. Adult cells can come from umbilical cord blood, human fat (via liposuction), dental pulp (milk teeth can be stored for future use for example), bone marrow, mammary glands, neurons (brain tissue), olfactory tissue (nasal lining) and testicles.

Quite a few of these can be altered into the equivalent of embryonic stem cells, with the advantage that there is no risk of rejection if they are taken from the intended recipient. Some are restricted in the types of cells they can become (as in the neuron cells), but this is not all of them (cells harvested from skin, or umbilical blood for example), and will almost certainly be worked around in the future.

Any series which is still going on about the 'controversy' over stem cells hasn't done their research, at least for the past five or more years.

[Interestingly, there is research from earlier this year where a Californian company has claimed to have produced mature embryonic clones from a persons skin cells. Others have been able to revert skin cells back to their embryonic state. The former almost certainly falls into the questionable category regarding ethics, as they are still using embryos.]

 

[Pseudonym2]

Wow, that's as bad the episode where the kids play a Grand Theft Auto rip off where players rape women for points and then commit the exact same crimes in real life.The detectives go to the game manufacture who tells them that can't release the information about the next level because it's "Proprietary Information." The detectives have never heard of Gamefaq's. At that point, I stopped paying attention.

 

[Bleak777]

Just for the record, I've had two children recently, and they do save the umbilical cords for that exact reason.

 

[sarahvait]

Just for the record, I've had two children recently, and they do save the umbilical cords for that exact reason.

Really? Did you have to give consent? Or do they just take a small part and let you keep the rest? I heard some parents keep the cord.

 

[Knight Templar]

It's Law and Order. It's junk TV. Passes the time, but you're not meant to feel full afterwards. You're meant to consume more junk.

CI isn't that bad, better than CSI at any rate.

 

[a7r0p05]

Because the Stem cells in the umbilical chord are instrumental to the babies growth you romove them and your child could be born with weak bones or something like that

They are actually harvested during birth or just after birth, so they pose no harm to the baby.

that episode was jaust a cash in of americans fear of stem cells, stem cells do not involve killing babies.

This depends on when exactly you think life begins. If you think that life begins at conception, then yes, harvesting stem cells does involve killing babies. If you believe that life does not begin until later on, then no, harvesting stem cells involves simply aborting a fetus.
In my opinion, the former is true.

 

[Bleak777]

Just for the record, I've had two children recently, and they do save the umbilical cords for that exact reason.

Really? Did you have to give consent? Or do they just take a small part and let you keep the rest? I heard some parents keep the cord.

No, after I cut the cord the clamped off the other end and cut it off from the placenta (Which some vegans actually use to make soup)