Why Adult Stem Cells Are Better Than Embryonic

The use of stem cells as a treatment cure is an ongoing area of development and political debate. Both adult and embryonic stem cells contain certain biological blueprints on various portions of the body. While embryonic stem cells may offer more potential in terms of application and use, new developments in adult cell research may possibly measure up to embryonic stem cell capabilities.

Identification

Unlike the cells that make up muscle and skin, stem cells encompass a range of characteristics that make them capable of developing into any number of cell types. Embryonic stem cells in particular harbor the ability to become any type of cell, whereas adult stem cells can be limited by their type in terms of capability. And while it would seem that embryonic cells hold the most potential, much of the progress made within stem cell research studies have centered around adult cells, according to the International Society for Stem Cell Research.

Function

The differences in adult and embryonic stem cell capabilities have to do with where they originate from, according to the University of Notre Dame. Embryonic cells come from actual embryo cells that have not fully developed. These are the cells that eventually grow into all the cells that make up the body. Adult cells--also known as somatic cells--are taken from already existent cells in the body, which holds some bearing on why they can only develop into certain types of cells. The one thing both types have in common is their ability to manufacture into cell types other than their own.

Effects

Some of the difficulty in working with embryonic stem cells has to do with their tendency to develop at will into any number of different cell types, according to the National Institutes of Health. In addition, generating a viable stem cell line is wrought with trial error so many attempts are required before a workable sample is developed. Not being able to control embryonic stem cell growth limits scientists in terms of being able to actually produce cultures of specific cell types. This is not the case with adult stem cells, as a certain cell can produce only so many cell types. As a result, scientists have been able to move forward with adult cell lines and actually use them to treat disease.

Potential

As adult stem cell lines are more reliable in terms of producing useable samples, scientists have been able to better understand how these cells work, according to the University of Notre Dame. As a result, new techniques involving the use of adult cell prototypes have been put into practice. By genetically engineering a viable adult cell, scientists can create induced pluripotent cells, which are capable of developing into any cell in the body. Another technique known as somatic nuclear transfer involves implanting donated DNA material from an adult cell into a hollowed-out ovum cell. This procedure also produces embryonic-like cells.

Considerations

The political issues surrounding the use of embryonic versus adult stem cell lines vary, though heavy debate surrounds the use embryo cells for research purposes, according to the International Society for Stem Cell Research. As embryos are the earliest form of human life, issues regarding whether the right "to live" applies to an undeveloped embryo cell are at the heart of the debate. As far as adult stem cells go, ethical issues surrounding procedures that use donated DNA materials are also a topic of concern, according to the University of Notre Dame.