The potential that stem cell research has to offer the entire world both medically and scientifically is enormous and would effect very human being on this planet. Pluripotent stem cells, that at present can only be harvested from developing embryos, are of great interest as they can be cultured to develop into any organ of the human body. The knowledge obtained from such experiments could benefit all of mankind. However, many feel that due to the fact that the harvesting of stem cells requires the destruction of the embryo which many view as a human being, and they believe that it is unethical and irrelevant of the benefits, the price of doing it is too high .

Human stem cells can fall under one of three categories, totipotent, pluripotent and multipotent. Totipotent cells are those that are formed when a sperm and an egg combine, and has the potential to turn into any human cell. This is done by a process called differentiation , cells can change to have a specialised function. Totipotent cells either differentiate into cells that will assist in keeping the foetus alive whilst in

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