A, B, Cs of Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Researchers believe that stem cells are potential cures for many diseases, including type 1 diabetes. But the use of stem cells is controversial, with President Bush lined up on one side of the debate and celebrities like Mary Tyler Moore and Michael J. Fox on the other. You may be wondering what the issues are, and just how stem cell research can help you or your loved one with diabetes. For the answers, read on.

What are stem cells and what can they do?

A stem cell is a type of basic cell with the ability to grow into another type of cell, such as a nerve, muscle, or beta cell. For people with type 1 diabetes, researchers would like to study whether stem cells can grow into insulin-producing beta cells found in the pancreas. These cells could then be transplanted into people with type 1, curing them. Scientists also believe that stem cells could provide a powerful control for type 2 diabetes.

What’s the controversy?

The controversy lies in where the stem cells come from. Though they can come from many sources, including adults (blood stem cells from bone marrow, for example) and umbilical cord blood, many scientists believe that stem cells from embryos offer the greatest promise. But taking stem cells from an embryo destroys the embryo.

Those who support this research point out that the embryos used are left over following fertility treatment, and would be discarded anyway. Their view is that, rather than being destroyed, these embryos should be used in research that could benefit millions of people suffering from many chronic diseases, including type 1 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s.
Those who oppose this research believe that it’s immoral to destroy a potential human life to help another person. It’s not the stem cell research that they’re against, but using stem cells from embryos.

The American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation support the use of stem cells for biomedical research, as long as it complies with federal ethics guidelines for their use.

But aren’t some embryonic stem cells used for research today?

Yes, but not enough, according to researchers. In August 2001, President Bush announced that federal funding for embryonic stem cell research would be limited to the 78 stem cell lines available for research at that time. In fact, all of these lines have been contaminated with mouse feeder cells, meaning that they can’t be used to create treatments for humans. Researchers getting government funding can use only these existing supplies of embryonic stem cells, and this has hindered basic research.

Where do things stand now?

On January 11, 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. The Senate is expected to consider the bill soon. If it passes, President Bush has said that he will veto it again. To override this veto, Congress would have to muster a two-thirds majority.

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