Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research: The Basics
By Crystal Sengstaken
Disclaimer: We realize that this may be a sensitive topic to many people. The aim of this article is in no way intended to persuade anyone’s opinion on the topic, but rather to present the facts.
As American consumers and investors we are bombarded by reports of medical discoveries and scientific advances, and one of the most publicized, highly debated and controversial scientific topics in the public eye is human Embryonic Stem (hES) cell research. Regardless of the current stand of the American government on this issue, I am willing to bet my portfolio that the reason the American public is so conflicted about hES cell research is because we do not completely understand the technologies behind hES cell research. Here at StockBoxFinancial.com we believe the more educated and knowledgeable our readers are, the better equipped they will be to make decisions, not just in terms of investing but in daily life as well. So, in the spirit of education, I thought I might set the record straight about human embryonic stem cell research.
United States’ Political Climate
One event that set the tone for the discussion of ethics surrounding hES cells occurred on January 22, 1973 with the trial of Roe vs. Wade. This ruling not only set an important precedent in terms of women’s rights in our country, but also brought to the forefront of American’s minds the issues of fertility, conception, fetal life and rights of the embryo. During the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s many legislators attempted to set standards for what was permissible and fundable with federal money in terms of research on human embryos, as technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), and cloning (think Dolly the Sheep) became possible.
Regulations on human ES cell research became of increasing interest to many Americans when President George W. Bush announced, on August 9, 2001 that federal funds would be made available for hES cell research only on currently existing and approved hES cell lines, however federal funding would not be permitted for research on hES cell lines not currently in prior to 2001, thus limiting federal funding to research in which "the life-and-death decision has already been made". This act severely limited the extent to which hES cell research in the United States could progress due to limitations in available funds, however did not establish any regulation for research performed using private funds, nor did it provide for any sort of criminal consequence for hES cell researchers.
In order to circumvent issues with funding and to propel hES cell research, some states have established agencies or purposely directed state funds for hES cell research. For example, The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) was established in early 2005 with the passage of Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative. The statewide ballot measure, which provided $3 billion in funding for stem cell research at California universities and research institutions, was approved by California voters on November 2, 2004, and called for the establishment of a new state agency to make grants and provide loans for stem cell research, research facilities and other vital research opportunities. CIRM uses bond proceeds to fund basic and applied biomedical research focused on stem cells. All proposals are peer-reviewed to support the most promising scientific research. Research grants are made only to California-based research institutions. While several states, including Massachusetts and New Jersey, have passed resolutions to direct funding toward embryonic stem cell research, none have committed as much as California - a state many see as the model for the immediate future of human ES cell research.
The Ethical Debate
The reason that the ethics of hES cell research is so hotly debated is because, with the present state of technology, the creation of a human embryonic stem cell line generally requires the use of a human embryo. The fundamental assertion of those who oppose embryonic stem cell research is the belief that human life is sacred and begins at conception, the very moment when a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell to form a single cell. On the other side of the debate are individuals who submit that human embryonic stem cell research has the potential to dramatically alter approaches to understanding and treating diseases and to alleviate suffering, making hES cells an invaluable and life-saving tool. Many medical researchers anticipate in the future being able to use technologies derived from human embryonic stem cell research to treat a variety of devastating conditions including spinal cord injury, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Diabetes, heart disease and many other debilitating conditions.
The Science Behind Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Human embryonic stem cells are cells that are derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of the human blastocyst stage embryo, and then propagated in a dish in a laboratory. In order to obtain hES cells scientists rely on donated embryos from couples who have undergone in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF is a technique in which a woman’s egg cells are fertilized by a man’s sperm outside the woman's womb, in vitro. IVF is a major treatment for infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed. When couples undergo IVF treatments there are typically several embryos created and only a portion of those are implanted into the uterus, while the rest may never be used. Rather than storing the surplus embryos in freezers and eventually destroying them (due to cost and space availability), some couples choose to donate their surplus embryos to research.
IVF embryos are created and stored in a one-cell stage. At this point the embryo is called a zygote; it is the woman’s egg fertilized by the father's sperm- essentially one cell with 2 pronuclei. When a couple donates their embryo to hES cell researchers, the embryo is thawed and allowed to develop for about 4 days in a lab culture dish. At this point the embryo is called a blastocyst. In nature, a blastocyst at this stage still has not even implanted into the mother's womb- it would be traveling in the reproductive anatomy of the woman. Additionally, there is no differentiation, no body plan, no development of a nervous system, no specialized cells and in fact, the blastocyst stage embryo (4-5 days post-conception) may not even represent a unique individual, as twins can form at up to 14 days post-fertilization. Most women do not even know they are pregnant when the embryo is a blastocyst, that is, 4-5 days after fertilization. One important side note is that if a couple chooses not to donate their remaining embryos, but rather to have them destroyed, these embryos are also allowed to develop for a few days in culture, before being destroyed, essentially facing the some fate as donated embryos.
Continuing, once the blastocyst is formed in the dish, the scientists remove the bundle of about 20 unspecialized cells from the center, called the inner cell mass (ICM). This ICM is what is plated into a dish and propagated, or grown for several passages, to create a cell line. An intermediating fact about the ICM is that in nature, the cells that make up the inner cell mass don't all form structures of the fetus, but also extraembryonic tissues like the yolk sac and placenta which are not parts of a human body but are required for fetal development and to support pregnancy. hES cells are very valuable because are considered pluripotent- that is, each human embryonic stem cell has the potential to turn into any cell in the adult human body.
hES cells and Investors
Currently, almost every major Biotechnology company provides products and services related to or directly benefiting hES cell research, however there are also several companies which have emerged that focus solely on the technologies related to hES cell research. Below is not a complete list, nor is every company on it publicly traded, but it should give you some idea of what is out there for you as an investor, newly educated in the science of human embryonic stem cell research. Note: StockBoxFinancia.com does not directly endorse any of the following companies, nor does Crystal own shares of any of the following firms.
Frequently Asked Questions about human Embryonic Stem (hES) cells
Question: “Why are hES cells so special?”
hES cells differ from other kinds of cells. They have three unique and important properties:
- hES cells are unspecialized, that is, they do not have any tissue-specific structures that allow them to perform specialized functions. However, these cells can give rise to specialized cells, including heart muscle cells, blood cells or nerve cells.
- hES cells are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods of time. Unlike muscle cells, blood cells, or nerve cells—which do not normally replicate themselves—stem cells may replicate indefinitely.
- hES cells can give rise to specialized cells of the body. When unspecialized hES cells give rise to specialized cells, the process is called differentiation. hES cells can give rise to any cell in the body, so they are said to be “pluripotent”.
Question: “Why are doctors and scientists so excited about human embryonic stem cells?”
hES cells have potential in many different areas of medical research. Studying them will help scientists to understand how and why they are able to differentiate into the specialized cells and develop each tissue that are found in the human body. Some of the most serious medical conditions, such as cancer and birth defects, are due to problems that occur somewhere in this process. A better understanding of normal human development will allow us to understand and perhaps correct the errors that cause these medical conditions.
hES cells could also be used to test new drugs. For example, new medications could be tested for safety on various type of normal differentiated cells generated from pluripotent and unlimited growing hES cell lines. Other kinds of cells are already used in this way, limited- or non-growing adult donated cells for testing usual toxicology, and unlimited-growing but abnormal cancer cell lines for screening potential anti-tumor drugs. The availability of pluripotent hES cells would allow drug testing in an unlimited supply and a various range of cell types.
Perhaps the most important potential application of hES cells research is the generation of cells and tissues for medical therapies. Today, donated organs and tissues are routinely used to replace those that are diseased or destroyed. Unfortunately, the number of people who need a transplant far exceeds the number of organs available for transplantation. Pluripotent and unlimited-growing hES cells offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat some of the most debilitating diseases including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Question: “I’ve heard the hES cells are made from aborted babies. Is that true?”
Answer: This is not true. The only developmental stage hES cells can be obtained is at exactly the blastocyst stage. There are no hES cell lines in the US created by using aborted fetuses. There are, however, a different type of cell line, called embryonic germ (EG) cells which are different from hES cells, though in some ways behave similar to hES cells. In 1998 EG cells were derived from fetuses that were about 7-8 weeks post-fertilization. EG cells may be considered a type of stem cell- similar to hematopoietic stem cell- perhaps capable of differentiating into a limited number of cell types.
Question: “If you leave hES cells in the dish for long enough, will they turn into a baby?”
Answer: No. The only cells that can create an entire organism- that is, give rise to a baby, are cells that are considered totipotent. Currently, the only cells considered to be totipotent are the zygote stage embryo- that is the single cell formed by the correct fusion of a woman's egg and a man's sperm. That single cell, if it implants into the mother's womb at around day 6, would go on to form the baby. hES cells in culture will not form a baby. In fact, if left alone, they won't even form arms or legs or organs either. hES cells require extensive genetic and scientific manipulation in order to differentiate into the cells that we are interested in using for cell-based therapies like neurons (brain cells) and cardiomyocytes (heart cells). One thing most people don't realize is that in the adult human body and in the growing fetus there are actually no such cell types as "human embryonic stem cells." hES cells are really a cell created by science using technology. It is similar to taking a biopsy of a patient's liver and then culturing that liver in a dish in the lab. Those cells are no longer able to be an actual liver but they exhibit some of the qualities of a liver in culture.
Question: “If hES cells are made from embryos then aren’t scientist toying with what could have been potential babies?”
Answer: hES cells do not have the potential to form babies. hES cell scientists are not permitted to create embryos for hES cell studies, rather, they must use surplus embryos donated by couples which otherwise would have been destroyed.
Crystal Sengstaken is a PhD student in Biomedical Sciences, specializing in human embryonic stem cell research. If you have any questions or comments that you would like Crystal to address in a future article please email them to support@stockboxfinancial.com.