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MORE ALTERNATIVES TO EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS

Despite major controversy over the destruction of human embryos, the US National Institutes of Health last week approved 13 new human embryonic stem-cell colonies for federally funded research. As more US tax dollars are poured into the development of embryonic stem cell technologies, a variety of research groups have had success using stem cells from non-embryonic sources. Adult stem cells and even stem cells from amniotic fluid have been getting promising results while avoiding the moral problems of destroying human embryonic life.

Soon after his inauguration, President Barack Obama lifted the restrictions on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research that President Bush had put in place in 2001, opening the door wide for US tax payers to fund embryonic stem cell research. The National Institutes of Health last Wednesday agreed to open up 13 embryonic stem cell lines for federally funded experimentation. Many hope that embryonic stem cells will provide cures to a variety of debilitating diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s or will help heal victims of stroke or spinal cord injury.

While embryonic stem cells are notably versatile, their use can be tricky. Not only does the research destroy human life at the embryonic stage of development, prompting serious moral objections, but embryonic stem cells can cause tumors and are often rejected by the patient’s body. Some researchers are determined to use embryonic stem cells despite these serious problems, but plenty of companies have simply decided to pursue research that avoids harming embryos.

Dental Pulp Cells:
Researchers in Australia want to treat stroke victims with stem cells from the dental pulp found in teeth. Associate Professor Simon Koblar from the University of Adelaide and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is leading the project. According to Koblar, these toothy stem cells have a lot of potential to repair the brain because they have a natural knack for producing and repairing nerve cells. They also don’t present rejection problems, because the cells can be taken straight from a patient’s own teeth.

“We have some very promising data from trials involving stroke-affected rats, who have shown an improvement in mobility when transplanted with dental pulp stem cells,” Koblar said.

Amniotic Fluid Cells:
A European company, Biocell Center, has opened the first amniotic-fluid stem-cell bank near Boston. Amniotic fluid, which surrounds a baby in the womb, is a source of stem cells that can be withdrawn, isolated, and grown without hurting the developing fetus.

The research teams of Anthony Atala, M.D., director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, and Markus Hengstchläger, Ph.D., from the Medical University of Vienna reported in the journal Oncogene that the stem cells found in amniotic fluid are versatile and could be useful for treating a variety of diseases. Atala’s team is in the process of assessing the possibility that amniotic stem cells could treat kidney disease or diabetes. Unlike embryonic stem cells, amnion cells have not demonstrated a tendency to create tumors in animals. They can also be grown in large amounts and stored at a stem cell bank for later use. If the child later has diseases that could be treated with stem cells, his own amnion cells can be available to him with minimal concern that his body will reject the cells.

Single Embryonic Cells:
If people insist on using embryonic cells, they can be gathered without harming embryos. The company Advanced Cell Technology is seeking approval from the Food and Drug Administration to start human trials with stem cell therapies developed from single embryonic stem cells. These single cells are taken from embryos without harming them, and ACT wants to use the therapy to prevent blindness.

Robert Lanza, ACT’s chief scientific officer, said, “We took one cell and let the remaining embryo develop with no harm. We know how to routinely generate stem-cell lines without harming or destroying the embryos.”

There are many alternatives to embryonic stem cell research. Umbilical cord blood is also a well-known source of stem cells, and stem cell banks have been storing stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood for years. Stem cells from human fat have also shown a lot of promise. There are plenty of potential stem cell therapies ready to be developed – without harming human embryos.

Related Links:

• ‘Ethical’ Stem-Cell Work Advances - The Washington Times
• Embryonic Stem Cells Approved For Tax-Funded Research - San Jose Mercury News
• New Research Shows Versatility of Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells - Science Daily
• Stem Cell Research Gives Hope To Stroke Patients - PhysOrg.com