The human body consists of 220 different types of cells. One of these is the stem cell, which has the remarkable potential to develop into most types of other human cells. When a stem cell divides, it can either remain as a stem cell, or become another type of cell such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell or a brain cell.
Stem cells serve as a repair system for the body. Adult stem cells can automatically identify damaged tissue and produce almost perfect repairs. Because of this, stem cell research can lead to cures for many incurable diseases. It also helps us to know more about how an organism develops and research on stem cells is making rapid progress.
Stem cells are similar to tiny factories that have the ability to restock themselves when required and develop into many different types of cells. They can, in fact, produce a perfect replica or ‘clone’ of a human being. Whether that is a bad thing or a good thing is a subject of much debate. But, without doubt, stem cell research is the science of tomorrow.
Many people misunderstand cloning, and think it is strictly for reproducing whole animals or humans. But, reproducing whole human beings would be just a small portion of cloning, if made legal. The main focus of cloning is to reproduce stem cells that would be used to grow replacement organs. This opens many possibilities through the use of cloning. Such possibilities include the cure for infertility, endangered species, baldness and reconstructive surgery. Through cloning, we also might be able to assist in liver and kidney failure, leukemia, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and possibly cancer too!
Cloning can also help farmers to reproduce exactly animals that are healthy, or have exceptional desirable qualities. If a farmer has a cow which gives a great deal of milk, he/she can have a clone of it created, so that all his cows would be exact copies that give high yields, or, horses may be cloned to race-winning horses , and plants can be cloned to give a better harvest. The possibilities are mind boggling, and frightening too. So. Cloning is a matter that is being hotly debated all over the world. Everyone agrees that treating and curing diseases is good, but creating identical, superior animals and human beings may cause a lot of problems too.
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