Adult Stem-cell Research by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=496

Adult Stem-cell Research

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

As the hype and propaganda by liberal politicians and Hollywood entertainers continues to fuel the debate over embryonic stem-cell research, new evidence once again has demonstrated the ongoing success of adult stem-cell research (Serafini, et al., 2007). Stem cells from adult bone marrow, “multipotent adult progenitor cells” (MAPCs), were injected into mice whose immune cells had been neutralized by radiation. The MAPCs replenished the bone marrow, spleen, peripheral blood, and lymph nodes of the immunodeficient mice (Williams, 2007). What’s more, none of the recipient mice developed tumors—an ongoing problem with the use of transplanted embryonic stem cells (ESCs). The conclusion? “The potential of long-term culture followed by tumor-free cell transfer thus givesMAPCs a therapeutic advantage over both ESCs and HSCs” (Williams). In other words, adult stem-cell research continues to produce effective results, while embryonic stem-cell research has yet to demonstrate significant value (see Harrub, 2006; Harrub and Thompson, 2004).

The moral, spiritual, and biblical issue is very simple: the shedding of innocent blood is a despicable thing to God (Proverbs 6:17). Solomon warned: “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, ‘Come with us, let us lie in wait to shed blood; let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause... My son, do not walk in the way with them, keep your foot from their path; for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood” (Proverbs 1:10-16, emp. added). Even if embryonic stem cells one day were shown to be beneficial to the infirmed, saving one human at the expense of another is not the right solution. Indeed, murdering millions of innocent babies through both abortion and embryonic stem-cell research is the evil scourge of our time (cf. Jeremiah 19:5; 32:35).

REFERENCES

Harrub, Brad (2006), “False Marketing of Embryonic Stem Cells,” [On-line], URL:http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2976.

Harrub, Brad and Bert Thompson (2004), “Presidential Elections, Superman, Embryonic Stem Cells, Bad Science, and False Hope,” [On-line], URL: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2621.

Serafini, Marta, S.J. Dylla, et al. (2007), “Hematopoietic Reconstitution by Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells: Precursors to Long-Term Hematopoietic Stem Cells,” The Journal of Experimental Medicine, January 16, [On-line], URL: http://www.jem.org/cgi/content/abstract/jem.20061115v1.

Williams, Ruth (2007), “Cell Replacement Therapy—Are MAPCs the Answer?” The Journal of Experimental Medicine, January 16, [On-line], URL: http://www.jem.org/cgi/content/full/jem.2041iti1v1.