Researchers create embryonic stem cells without embryo
Since the discovery of human embryonic stem cells, scientists have had high hopes for their use in treating a wider variety of diseases because they are “pluripotent,” which means they are capable of differentiating into one of many cell types in the body. However, the acquisition of human embryonic stem cells from an embryo can cause the destruction of the embryo, thus raising ethical concerns. In 2006, researchers introduced an alternative to harvesting embryonic stem cells called induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. They provided evidence that it was possible to send a normal adult cell back to an undifferentiated, pluripotent stem cell state by introducing genetic material (“outside” DNA) into the cell, a process that alters the original state of the cell. To avoid the use of embryonic stem cells, other researchers have focused more on the use of adult stem cells, but the use of these cells is limited because, unlike embryonic...