Stem Cell Research

Stem cell research could lead to possible cures for many serious diseases and conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and scleroderma. Before you can support or oppose stem cell research, you must fully understand the terminology, the potential, and consequences. Our 2-page feature helps you better understand stem cell research.

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Stem cell definition.

Stem cell transplants (autologous nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or HSCT) were performed on 50 lupus patients who had failed all other lupus treatments at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. The study ran from April 1997 through January 2005.

The journal abstract is technical, but the news remarkable. Researchers report in the August 2004 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism that a 52 year old woman with rheumatoid arthritis in 38 joints has successfully been treated with stem cells from a sibling and is now disease-free.

Stem cell research/Chemo experiment has shown that two years following a stem cell transplant from his healthy identical twin, a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient is no longer exhibiting any arthritic symptoms.

A stem cell is a "generic" cell that can make exact copies of itself indefinitely. In addition, a stem cell has the ability to produce specialized cells for various tissues in the body. Scientists are able to maintain stem cells forever, developing them into specialized cells as needed. There are two basic types; Embryonic and Adult.

President Bush vows to veto any measure that would allow federal funding for embryonic stem cell studies. The President has never before used his veto powers to kill any bill passed by Congress. National opinion polls show that Americans strongly oppose the President's stance, and instead, support federal funding to expand embryonic stem cell research.

Stem cell research may become important in the future by helping researchers understand the basics of how cells work, from scleroderma.org.

The official resource for stem cell research information, from NIH.

Soon after LifeSite News published an expose on The Arthritis Society, revealing a position paper and statements in support of funding embryonic stem cell research, the Knights of Columbus met with the charity, from theinterim.com.

Stem-cell transplants have been studied in Europe, Austrailia and the U.S. as a potential treatment for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma. However, while this therapy appears to be promising, it isn't for everyone. The Arthritis Foundation gives an update on this exciting stem cell treatment.

A procedure called autologous stem cell transplantation allows people with the most severe and treatment-resistant autoimmune diseases to start growing a healthy new immune system within just a couple of weeks. As the name suggests, autologous (meaning "self") stem cell transplantation, involves transplanting one's own stem cells, from Arthritis Foundation.

An extensive article with the history and background of the controversy over stem cell research, from Probe.org.

Some research can be done using existing stem cells. However, existing stem cell research lines are degrading and will soon be useless for stem cell research. Stem cells can also be extracted from adult tissue, without harm to the subject. Unfortunately, they are difficult to remove, are severely limited in quantity, and appear to be limited in usefulness, from ReligiousTolerance.org.

The Stem Cell Research Controversy is heating up again and there is much at stake. Vastly different opinions exist both within science and government on what we should do next with stem cell research, from Probe.org.