Boyd 1

Lindsey Boyd

Prof. Thomas

English Online.

3/20/19

Adult Vs. Embryonic Stem Cells

When I was young, I lived with my grandmother as my parents were divorcing. She

taught me almost all my motor skills, basic education, and helped me meet my milestones as a

toddler. My second-grade year she was diagnosed with pancreatic and brain cancer. Even as a

young child I can remember the changes her body went through in those tough months with

chemo and different therapies to treat the cancer. As I’ve aged and educated myself, and grown

quite curious of, I stumbled upon different stem cell research cases. But which has become more

useful; adult or embryonic, and for what reasons? I wanted to know which is easier to use, which

is most easily obtained, and which one has the highest sustainability rate when used as a

donation.

Let’s start by really giving a definition to what a stem cell is, the two different types,

harvest methods, and so forth. Embryonic stem cells are undifferentiated (meaning they don’t

have a specific bodily purpose yet), pluripotent (still developing) cells that are found within a

fetus. Embryonic stem cells here refer specifically to the unborn. Adult stem cells (you can also

just use the term stem cell here when regarding adults or children) are also undifferentiated cells,

but they are found throughout the body, whose purpose is to divide and replenish cell numbers

throughout the body. I know these definitions can sound very similar, given they both have some

very similar functions, but they also different in many ways. Through out this paper I will refer
 Boyd 2

to which type of cell I am referring to (adult or embryonic), just to make things very clear and

understandable. The image below gives insight into each topic throughout my paper but placing

it into an easy and understandable graph. Stem cells can sound very familiar when discussed, so I

wanted to provide the chart to ensure my readers have a reference point to refer back to.

Harvesting embryonic stem cells typically comes from destroying a human embryo,

hence why this field of study is so very controversial. This form of harvesting is typically done

right after an egg has been fertilized in vitro, normally within four to five days. A very clear

advantage to using embryonic stem cells is the nature of their development. Because they are

pluripotent, these cells can become anything. Tissue, organ, specialized cells (red and white

blood cells) for example, and others are within reach when using this method. Because we also
 Boyd 3

have the technology to develop embryo’s outside of a woman’s body scientists have been able to

grow embryonic stem cells fairly easy within a lab.

Adult stem cells normally are found to be more specialized, meaning their origin of

development in the body is correlated to what they develop into. Such as, if they develop near a

tissue, they are more likely to develop into a tissue cell (the same goes for muscles, skeletal

areas, and organs). Obtaining adult stem cells is taken from bone marrow, which requires

inserting a needle into a bone and surgery. However, in some cases you can also extract adult

stem cells from a blood sample. Medications are given in order to boost the number of stem cells

in your blood from your bone marrow, followed by separating the stem cells from the blood

sample given.

When comparing the two, the biggest differences we see between stem cells are the

harvesting methods, and the concept that embryonic stem cells are not specialized yet (leaving
 Boyd 4

them to be highly variable in treatment options), where as adult stem cells are limited in their

nature of capability. Which left me with the question, which type of stem cell is more viable and

useable when looking at treatment options? I left this question broad spectrum for this essay,

because with two different types of cells, I assume the possibilities are endless with what future

research will be able to do with them.

So, let’s start with which is easier to use. There are many things stem cells can treat, if not

cure. From skin issues to transplants, stem cells make treatments one step safer- whether it be

adult or embryonic. Dr. McGuckin and Dr. Forraz, from the Texas-Biosciences program, note the

difficulty of putting embryonic stem cells into the lab for research, but shedding light on how

“adult stem cells can provide an alternative, more ethically acceptable source” (McGuckin and

Forraz). Ease of use in this field is important, due to the nature of some cases. Many people can

live on a transplant or donor list for most of their lives. The issue with getting embryonic stem

cells into the lab is that embryos cannot give consent to be used in such a way, whereas

consenting adults/parental can. They also note here that as the embryonic stem cells develop,

“control of immunological development of ES cells is a significant problem that will take time to
 Boyd 5

overcome” (McGuckin and Forraz), while also noting how adult stem cells that are donated are

currently ready for transplantation.

Going back to their statement of how embryonic stem cells need control of their

development, is talking about as they “age” during the research, they have the chance to develop

some genetic issues that you wouldn’t want to pass on or use for someone else. Remember, we’re

talking about a freshly developed embryo that we’re deriving these cells from here, not a

child/adult that is aware of their genetics. You wouldn’t want to take cells from an embryo that

had cancer cells, predispositioned issues, etc. and pass them on to someone that was already sick.

However, McGuckin and Forraz do provide an alternative here. They discuss in this

article how “cord blood-derived embryonic-like stem cells” (here meaning from the umbilical

cord after a caesarean section), could be used as a substitute to correct this issue. Using the

similar products from the umbilical cord, testing for specific antigens and components that would

prove unsafe for others is possible, while development and quantity of cells and continue to

improve. However, “lack of donated material, ethical concerns, and immunological rejection”

(ScienceDaily) don’t aide in the argument that embryonic stem cells are easier to use in any

means- if anything these constraints make it that much harder to use, or even research.

On the flip side, adult stem cells are already “matured”. Visually you can see what is

predispositioned. You know if the donor has an issue that would be unsafe for other parties. You

know what cells a better fit for certain areas/ transplants are because of where they were

collected. Those from bone marrow are better for organ transplantation, whereas those collected

from blood samples are better used for tissue and skin treatments. Science Daily released an

article on how stem cells donated from adults’ function just as well as embryonic. “The analysis

of research on induced pluripotent stem cells finds that not only are typical signs of aging
 Boyd 6

reversed in IPSCs, but cells derived from both older and younger donors shows the same ability

to differentiate into mature body cells” (ScienceDaily). This article relates its information from a

cardiac case, where Dr. Nicole Krankel, from a medical university in Germany, looked at just

how age really affected stem cells.

Dr. Krankel discusses how “the age of the donor may reduce efficiency at which their

body cells can be reprogrammed. However, once generated, the stem cells appear to be

rejuvenated—with typical signs of aging reversed” (ScienceDaily). I think the easiest way to put

this, is that these stem cells that are being donated are getting a “face lift”. Taking cells from an

elderly/adult patient, rejuvenating them (normally done with an acid wash in order wipe the cells

current make up, it can be used elsewhere in the body), and then reusing them is huge, and

creating endless possibilities. On the topic of “face lifts” and the elderly, there were many

different articles I found where stem cells proved to be more than beneficial, over typical forms

of treatment.

I want to start with the one I found most interesting. Bogdan Iorga did a study on how

adult vs. embryonic cell-derived cardiomyocytes targeted and treated certain cardiac diseases. I

previously have worked in a Cardiac stepdown/ICU unit and am now in Cardiac Surgery so

seeing this research was eye opening for me. The population always hears about your typical

treatment options for cardiac issues; medications, surgery, and transplant. What you hear less of,

is how stem cells are a much easier way to treat cardiac, and so many other issues. With

transplants (in this case let’s say a heart transplant), you always run the risk of rejection from the

recipient. His article gives the exact math and ratios on how he tested both cells, while reaching

the conclusion that both regenerated and functioned at the same pace. However, the decay rate

for the adult stem cells was noted at a slightly higher rate.
 Boyd 7

Given the availability and the safety associated with adult stem cells, they prove to be

safer. The donor can give consent, you are not destroying a fetus, any complications with the

genetics of the cell are already known and developed, and so on. But which is easier to obtain, an

adult stem cell or an embryonic one?

I gave light earlier in my paper as how to harvest stem cells: embryonic from destroying

an embryo, and adult from either a bone marrow extraction or a blood sample. In order to get the

stem cells from an embryo, the egg must be fertilized within a lab in vitro, but never placed in a

woman uterus. IVF average costs ranges from about 10-12,000 dollars and takes many months to

grow in culture disks. “Culture media for human embryos produced by IVF were suboptimal.

Thus, it was difficult to culture single-cell fertilized embryos long enough to obtain

healthy blastocysts for the derivation of ES cell lines” (Junying Yu).

Embryonic stem cells are much harder in nature to obtain. With the money issues stated

above, you also run into the ethical issue from a portion of the population (and the church,)

where they relate it into abortion, and for one very specific reason. The Catholic church is

against stem cell research because the destruction of an embryo is destroying a life in itself. They

believe in life at conception, not when a heart beat or other milestones are met.

Stem cells coming from those donors who are willing to consent however are only

slightly easier to obtain. If the route of taking bone marrow donations is done through a surgical

service, the cost of an operating room per minute varies from a couple hundred dollars to a

couple thousand dollars a minute. I work here at the Valley, and our operating rooms start at a

thousand dollars per minute. While yes this covers the cost of the room, some medications, and

some staff pay, you still have other fees that tag along on your bill after that. “A one-time

treatment that utilizes blood drawn from a patient can cost as little as $1,500. However, protocols
 Boyd 8

that utilize a bone marrow or adipose (fat) tissue extraction can run as much as $15,000 –

$30,000. This is because bone marrow extraction is an invasive procedure that requires a

penetrating bone and adipose tissue extraction requires a medical professional trained in

liposuction” (Cade Hildreth).

While using a blood sample is scientifically cheaper, it still places a constrain for those

who are on Medicaid, Medicare, or even paying out of pocket (with/out insurance). Even with

the cost factor in place, adult stem cells are still by far easier to obtain. Embryonic cells have to

be cultured and grown- causing a bigger time and funding constraint, while also fighting the

public and Catholicism’s backlash. Any consenting adult can offer their own stem cells as a

donation, and at a quicker, cheaper price tag. Adult stem cells 2: Embryonic stem cells 0. Which

leads me to my last point: Which stem cell has a higher sustainability rate when used as a

donation?

Adult stem cells take the trophy on this question also, and for really one specific reason.

In the cases I will be mentioning, adult stem cells were taken from a patient, rejuvenated, and

placed back within their body to treat a specific issue. Most stem cell research is still just that

here in the United States, because of some healthcare/research laws. Places in the UK, however,

have had great success with using stem cell treatment options. Let’s relate back to Iorga Bogdan

from earlier, who was using both adult and embryonic stem cells to see which was more useful in

treating cardiac issues- all his work was all done in Switzerland. Dr. Nicolle Krankel conducted

her studies in Charite, which is a medical university in Germany. Adult stem cells have many

uses that here in the U.S we haven’t even scratched the surface on.

The main issue with using embryonic stem cells is that you run the risk of having further

complications pop up that you were not aware of. In many cases where you are using stem cell
 Boyd 9

research, it’s a last option resort, and time is not always on your side. Having to wait to have the

funds, time, or donations isn’t justifiable when you’re playing with life or death. In the cases I

will mention below, adult stem cells were donated and gifted, or used back in the donor’s body

with no rejection noted. Adult stem cells can create less complications when you start looking

into different types of treatments: heart/lung/kidney transplants can come with the patients own

cells, making it much easier of a transition.

The first case I want to mention, is a man who had his stem cells cure him of HIV.

“Approximately 1.1 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV today. About 15 percent of

them (1 in 7) are unaware they are infected. An estimated 38,700 Americans became newly

infected with HIV in 2016” (HIV.gov). While HIV rates are on the decline, there are many lives

that could be improved from the use of stem cell therapies. The London man that Erin Allday

wrote her article on was the second man to be cured from a bone marrow transplant (of his own

marrow). She states that the man has been “HIV free for 18 months, without drugs to fight the

infection, after his immune system was replenished with donor cells that are resistant to the

virus.” (Erin Allday). The real spin on this case was that doctors were using this specific

treatment to treat a blood cancer and ended up curing his HIV AND his blood cancer also. “Two

cases are always better than one, especially in a field where we don’t have a lot of dramatic

success” (Dr. Timothy Henrich), and he’s right. The possibilities become endless with stem cell

research and treatments.

Parkinson’s is a disease that hits very close to home. My mom was recently diagnosed

with early onset, and it something I never really expected. For as long as I can remember she has

always shaken. Some days its worse than others, somedays its not at all. I assumed it was due to

her work (she does an incredible amount of driving and typing), or just a little too much coffee.
 Boyd 10

Treating Parkinson’s with stem cells is difficult, but doable through surgery and donations.

“Research using stem cells in the context of Parkinson disease began in rats almost 40 years ago,

with results promising enough to prompt the earliest human studies about 30 years ago” (Heidi

Moawad, MD), letting it be well studied and conducted in terms of stem cell therapies.

This treatment begins by again taking a donation of stem cells, rejuvenating them to their

basic self, and then through surgery, using them to repair nerve ways to regain stability and

motor functions. “The patient who was assessed 15 years post-transplantation demonstrated

preserved motor benefits, remained free of dopaminergic medication, and remained independent

in all activities of daily living. He also experienced graft-induced dyskinesias, which minimally

improved with amantadine.” (Heidi Moawad, MD). While yes surgery and this form of therapy

can become expensive, the results have been shown to last up to twenty-four years. For

individuals like my mom, it saves them from the current difficulties, and can give them the rest

of their life back without declining further.

ALS is quite traumatic for the patient to have to go through. Losing the capability of your

body and its functions, while still living is incredibly hard. In 2018, Marta Figueiredo discusses

the hope around stem cell therapies in repairing neurodegenerative issues. “Because the

reconstruction of complete motor nerve circuits in adult patients is very complex, current stem

cell approaches in ALS aim to use them to improve the function of motor nerve cells and prolong

their survival. This is done through the regulation of immune responses, secretion of important

molecules, and/or production of brain cells that support motor nerve cells.” (Figueiredo). This

method aims to take the donated stem cells and place them directly into the nerve pathway that is
 Boyd 11

affected. They give note that while fetal stem cells could work, no research has been done to

ensure the capability or the safety.

While the risks are high, ALS is a terminal issue, and there is no real cure for it currently.

Using adult stem cell therapy, you have a real chance to come back, or at a minimum

improvement to your quality of life. “The results showed this approach appears to be safe and

well-tolerated — although associated with temporary infusion reactions — and to temporarily

increase the levels of key factors for nerve cells’ survival and anti-inflammatory molecules”

(Figueiredo).

Stem Cell Research has become a taboo topic here in the states, mainly on the embryonic

side. I’ve given credit to the issues stem from religious views on fetal stem cells, the cost of

using, and the nature in which they need to be cultured. But, if you take those miscarried,

terminated, stillborn fetus’s, and lab grown embryo’s and donate them to science, the research

that can be conducted is amazing. Fetal stem cells are more potent, and larger in numbers due to

their age. On the flip side, adult stem cells are also an equal and apparent option to work around

the laws on embryonic research. Adult stem cells have already grown, and even specialized. You

can place them from one area to the next, rejuvenate them and let them redivide to increase

numbers, and so on. Overall, I find adult stem cells to be more useful. Working in the field that I

do, most days we see worse case scenarios. I can think of endless possibilities that stem from

using adult stem cell research. Embryonic stem cells leave too much of a risk associated with

using them, and more times than not, patients don’t have room for us to make errors.
 Boyd 12

Works Cited

Allday, Erin. “Second Man Cured of HIV Sparks Hope That Millions More Could Eventually

Benefit.” SFChronicle.com, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Mar. 2019,

www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/Second-man-cured-of-HIV-sparks-hope-that-

millions-13665695.php.

Cohen Y, Nagler A (2004) “Umbilical cord blood transplantation – how, when and for whom?”

Blood Rev. 18, 167. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-

2184.2005.00346.x

Distinct Sarcomeric Protein Isoforms.” Frontiers in Physiology, Vol 8 (2018), 2018. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.01111/full.http://sinclair.ohionet.org:80/login?

url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
 Boyd 13

direct=true&db=edsdoj&AN=edsdoj.2141cbe2b4944298869c2089b299ca9a&site=eds-

live

“Embryonic Stem Cells.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services, stemcells.nih.gov/info/Regenerative Medicine/2006Chapter1.htm.

Embryonic Stem Cells.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services, stemcells.nih.gov/info/Regenerative Medicine/2006Chapter1.htm.

Frontiers. "Stem cells from adults function just as well as those from embryos: Stem cells from

elderly donors can be used for personalized treatment of age-related chronic and

degenerative diseases, concludes a new review." ScienceDaily. 24 April, “2018.

< www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180424112433.htm>.

Figueiredo, Marta. “Stem Cell Therapy Safe in ALS Patients; Evaluating Effectiveness Is

Next.” ALS News Today, 31 Oct. 2018, alsnewstoday.com/2018/10/31/stem-cell-therapy-

safe-als-patients-evaluating-effectiveness-next/.

Heidi, Moawad MD. “Stem Cell Transplantation for Parkinson Disease”NeurologyTimes.com,

Neurology Time, 5 Oct. 2018, https://www.neurologytimes.com/mds-congress/stem-cell-

transplantation-parkinson-disease.
Boyd 14