Emma+Stem+Cell

Stem Cell Article (1) When were stem cells first taken from a human embryo? -Stem cells were first taken from a human embryo in 1998 from Dr. Thomson’s laboratory at the University of Wisconsin. (2) Why is obtaining stem cells from a human embryo so controversial? Many people view it as killing a potential child. (3) What was/is the source of human embryos for stem cell research? -Couples whose sperm and egg cells are not wanted. (4) What is a stem cell? Stem cells are universal cells that can turn into any of the body’s 220 cell types. (5) What diseases do we think we could treat with stem cells? Scientists believe diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s can be treated with stem cells; along with replacement tissue for patients. (6) Dr. Thomson is in the news again because he has turned ordinary skin cells into stem cells. How did he do this? -Dr. Thompson discovered that by adding four gene cells to a cell it would turn into what looks a stem cell.