Abstract:
:Debate on the potential and uses of human stem cells tends to be conducted by two constituencies-ethicists and scientists. On many occasions there is little communication between the two, with the result that ethical debate is not informed as well as it might be by scientific insights. The aim of this paper is to highlight those scientific insights that may be of relevance for ethical debate. Environmental factors play a significant role in identifying stem cells and their various subtypes. Research related to the role of the microenvironment has led to emphasis upon "plasticity", which denotes the ability of one type of stem cell to undergo a transition to cells from other lineages. This could increase the value given to adult stem cells, in comparison with embryonic stem cell research. Any such conclusion should be treated with caution, however, since optimism of this order is not borne out by current research. The role of the environment is also important in distinguishing between the terms totipotency and pluripotency. We argue that blastocysts (early embryos) and embryonic stem cells are only totipotent if they can develop within an appropriate environment. In the absence of this, they are merely pluripotent. Hence, blastocysts in the laboratory are potentially totipotent, in contrast to their counterparts within the human body which are actually totipotent. This may have implications for ethical debate, suggesting as it does that arguments based on potential for life may be of limited relevance.
journal_name
J Med Ethicsjournal_title
Journal of medical ethicsauthors
Towns CR,Jones DGdoi
10.1136/jme.2003.002386keywords:
subject
Has Abstractpub_date
2004-08-01 00:00:00pages
410-3issue
4eissn
0306-6800issn
1473-4257journal_volume
30pub_type
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 杂志文章
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更新日期:2020-02-01 00:00:00
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pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/jme.26.2.103
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pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/jme.2002.001438
更新日期:2004-10-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/jme.29.1.59
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pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/medethics-2011-100319
更新日期:2012-12-01 00:00:00
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pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/jme.2002.002329
更新日期:2004-12-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/jme.2003.007526
更新日期:2005-05-01 00:00:00
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pub_type: 杂志文章
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更新日期:1991-03-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 评论,杂志文章
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pub_type: 杂志文章
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更新日期:1985-12-01 00:00:00
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pub_type: 杂志文章
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更新日期:1982-09-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/medethics-2019-105635
更新日期:2020-02-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/jme.2006.016394
更新日期:2007-06-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 杂志文章,多中心研究
doi:10.1136/medethics-2011-100391
更新日期:2014-04-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/medethics-2013-101727
更新日期:2015-06-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/jme.2010.041095
更新日期:2011-11-01 00:00:00
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pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/medethics-2019-105943
更新日期:2020-08-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 杂志文章,评审
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更新日期:2021-02-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
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doi:10.1136/medethics-2013-101988
更新日期:2015-04-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/medethics-2016-103788
更新日期:2017-08-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/jme.9.3.158
更新日期:1983-09-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/jme.25.6.469
更新日期:1999-12-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
pub_type: 评论,杂志文章
doi:10.1136/medethics-2018-105267
更新日期:2019-07-01 00:00:00
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pub_type: 杂志文章
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更新日期:1995-12-01 00:00:00
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journal_title:Journal of medical ethics
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更新日期:2009-11-01 00:00:00
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pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.1136/jme.25.2.144
更新日期:1999-04-01 00:00:00