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Last Updated August 4, 2008 |
Stem cell research is possibly one of the most hotly contested topics of our age. Much of the debate rests on the use of embryonic stem cells, which has in turn restarted the age-old debate on the question of when life begins. However, some of the arguments put forth by both sides are misleading. The topic is extremely complicated, but provided here is a brief overview of the controversy. Stem CellsStem cells are undifferentiated cells that are capable of replicating themselves. They also have the unique ability to develop into any type of cell in the human body. The core of an embryonic blastocyst is entirely comprised of stem cells, which go on to form all of the cells of the human body. Stem cells have also been identified in adults, although these are much more limited in quantity and may or may not have the ability to truly develop into any imaginable human cell. |
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