What are stem cells and how are they obtained?
Every human body contains stem cells. These cells develop into 200 or more kinds of cells that make up the organs of the human body. Scientists theorize they can cultivate these cells and program them for specific therapeutic purposes, such as growing new brain, heart, or kidney tissue to repair damaged tissue. Stem cells develop very early in the human embryo after fertilization, but they [adult stem cells] are also found in the placenta and the umbilical cord as well as in the adult brain, bone marrow, blood, skeletal muscle, and skin. Source: Our Sunday Visitor It is very important to differentiate between embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Most often the media uses the general term “stem cell research” without any differentiation between the two types (a sin of omission). Catholic teaching accepts the use of adult stem cells and rejects the use of embryonic stem cells. Coincidentally, adult stem cells are proving to be effective in the treatment of many diseases. The effica
