People are naturally drawn to controversial topics in the news. The most scandalous, graphic stories are the ones that sell newspapers and generate online hits. As the old journalism saying goes, “If it bleeds, it leads.” Unfortunately, the same is true for stories focusing on the revolutionary implications of stem cells. Embryonic stem cell research hogs the spotlight, but it is not the venue that shows the most medical promise.
Hospital patients in need of a stem cell transplant can choose from three primary sources: bone marrow, circulating blood and umbilical cord blood. The latter can be donated immediately following childbirth through a process known as cord blood banking. Bone marrow and circulating blood stem cells exist in all healthy adults, and they have significant restorative powers that can improve one’s health.


President Obama’s executive order repealing restrictions on Embryonic Stem Cell research may have unintended consequences. Adult Stem Cell scientists and businesses are concerned that this action will divert attention and resources away from the promising
When people are young, their bodies produce tissue and cells at a much faster rate, and thus, also repair tissue faster as well. This is why it can be so dangerous to get hurt as an older person, because repairing the damage takes much longer and is much slower.
In Greek mythology, Panacea was the God of healing, and was said to possess an elixir that could cure all ailments. While Panacea herself is mere myth, there have been several substances throughout the ages that have claimed to be a panacea in medicine, or a substance that could serve as a cure for all diseases. When penicillin was discovered, it was often hailed as a panacea, though viruses and bacteria have started to become more resistant to it.
Blood cells perform some of the body’s most critical functions. Red blood cells usher oxygen from the lungs to all other destinations in the body. White blood cells, on the other hand, provide a solid line of defense against viruses and disease. Many of these blood cells are produced in bone marrow, the soft tissue located inside large, hollow bones.