What are embryonic stem cells?

Embryonic stem cells (ESC)are stem cells taken from human's blastocyst, the embryo's plasma. Embryonic stem cells have the ability to be specialized into 220 types of cells and replace the damaged cells, also able to revive the organ for producing more healthy cells.
These miraculous abilities have made embryonic stem cells treatment the best cure for heart diseases, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson and even cancers.

Unlike adult stem cells which are taken from inside human body (adult tissues), the ESC are taken in the middle of the IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) process. IVF is a fertilization process in which the egg and sperm are met outside a woman's womb. The fertilization produces embryo which develops to be a fetus (an early human)

Embryonic stem cells are taken from a four or five-day old embryo which is still in a very small ball size, and of course with the allowance from the embryo's parents.
There are two types of embryonic stem cells :
1. Totipotent cells, which includes the fertilized egg and the early cells of division. Totipotent cells have the ability to be specialized into various types of cells in human body.
2. Pluripotent cells, which can be specialized into various types of cells except the fetus cells (cells needed to form a human).

After the ESC are taken from the embryo, they need to be isolated and developed in the laboratory. In this development period, the ESC are specialized into any types of cells needed.

Multipotent stem cells

The advantages and controversial responses on embryonic stem cells treatment

These are the advantages of ESC :

1. they can be specialized into 220 types of human body cells.
2. as healthy cells, they replace the damaged cells and revive the organ, muscle or repair the damaged tissues and nerve.
3. trigger the organ to produce more healthy cells beside the specialized stem cells.
4. as a drug tester before the drug is given to human (no animal test required anymore).
5. offer a chance to learn about the nature of ESC (how they differentiate and proliferate themselves).
6. learn the defects of cells' replication in order to find out the cause of birth disabilities and how cells become cancerous.

Although the embryonic stem cells treatment has satisfactory results, there are still some controversial responses toward it :
1. Since the experiment is done on an embryo which is the early human, it is considered as a non-ethical research. It may defect the embryo while extracting the stem cells out from it.
2. A concern that the human body immune system may reject the ESC transplant.

To finally become an official treatment and accepted by society, embryonic stem cells research regulation must be made to follow certain humanity standard. Therefore, further improvements are still necessary, the sooner the better, for many lives out there are waiting for the treatment.