The philosophical differences between those researchers who favor the use of ES cells in their work and those of us who oppose their use are based not on any sort of evil nature in those who favor that investigation. These people are for the most part very caring, well meaning and sacrificing individuals, who are passionate about what they are doing. The differences between us and them are based upon what they consider to be a human life and the stage of development which we deem as human. When a male sperm enters a female ovum 23 chromosomes from the father join with 23 chromosomes from the mother to form a new, and utterly unique individual with its own genetic blueprint. It is then that God endows that seminal stem cell with a soul; Psalm 51:5. By the end of the first week, following many cell divisions, the individual has accumulated approximately 150 cells, each possessing 46 chromosomes. At that stage the individual has four layers of cells. The outer layer is what will form the placenta by which the little human will receive oxygen and nutrients for growth from its mother. Inside that cystic layer is a ball of cells composed of three layers; ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. What began as a single kind of cell has now differentiated into four kinds of cells, each destined to become a very unique part of the human anatomy or its placental connection to the mother. The ectoderm will become skin with its appendages (oil and sweat glands, hair and nails) and another portion of that layer will differentiate into neurectoderm destined to become the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. The mesoderm will become three kinds of muscles (skeletal, smooth and cardiac), ligaments, tendons, bone, blood vessels and bone marrow. The endoderm will become the digestive system, complete with liver and pancreas. The kidneys also derive from that layer. It is that stage of development, following in vitro fertilization in the laboratory, at which the scientist begins the experimentation. It is that stage at which most of those 450,000 humans are now frozen in some lab in this nation. They are just as human as anyone now reading this blog. ES cell researchers claim that ES cells offer a better chance of success in developing organs to cure disease than do adult stem cells. Necessity being the mother of invention, if we prohibit the use of the ES cells they will find a way to make adult stem cells work.

Thursday, November 17, 2005, 10:59 AM

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