Weekly Online Lesson Online Lesson Archive Grade Level: 9-12 Subject: Biology

Human Embryonic Stem Cells

In a landmark decision, President George W. Bush announced on August 8, 2001, that federal funds may be used to conduct studies on stem cells that have been harvested from embryos left over at fertility clinics. In the same speech to the nation, Bush prohibited subsidies of research that involved the creation or destruction of additional embryos.

The decision infuriated some conservatives who oppose any subsidies because the research involves the destruction of embryos, which they view as potential life. He drew measured praise from scientists, who were relieved that he had not altogether forbidden federal funding for a science that may lead to cures for many diseases. But they speculated that research would move at a slower pace.

You can read (or listen to) the president's speech at The White House web site.

In this week's lesson you will further investigate the science (but not necessarily the controversy) of human embryonic stem cell research.

National Institutes of Health

The federal agency charged with administering the new guidelines for funding embryonic stem cell research is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Go to the National Institutes of Health Stem Cell Information page, a portal of news and information about stem cell research. On the page you will see a list of news reports from as early as 1998.

Start by reading the White House Fact Sheet on Embryonic Stem Cell Research. This page summarizes the facts President Bush stated in support of his decision (some of these facts have been disputed). It then goes on to give some basic background information about embryonic stem cells. According to this fact sheet, how many stem cell lines now exist? What is pluripotentiality? Where do stem cells come from? Why are stem cells from embryos more promising than stem cells from adults?

If you want to take your understanding of stem cells a little deeper, go back to the main page and click Stem Cells: A Primer. As promised, this discussion goes into much greater scientific detail. The page begins with a glossary of terms, which you should refer to as you read. It also contains hyperlinked figures (illustrations); click each one as you read to help you understand.

Johns Hopkins Medicine

Breakthrough research in human embryonic stem cell cultures was announced in November, 1998, by a team at John Hopkins University's School of Medicine led by Dr. John Gearhart. Go to the John Hopkins site to read the original press release. What are the characteristics of stem cells? Explain the statement, "Stem cells aren't useful by themselves."

Two years after the initial press releases and publications on stem cells, Hopkins issued a press release about the use of stem cells to restore movement in paralyzed mice. Read this report. What percentage of mice in the study showed some measure of recovery? Why, according to Dr. Douglas Kerr, was this study significant?

Geron Corporation

Funding for the research of Dr. Gearhart's team was provided by Geron Corporation in Menlo Park, California. Visit the corporate site and click human embryonic stem cells. Hyperlinks in the text open a new window with a definition, but you should already know most of the terms. What is hESC technology? What are the three ways Geron intend to use the technology?

Soon after the first John Hopkins press release on stem cells, Dr. Thomas Okarma, vice president of development at Geron Corporation, was a featured guest on NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, a PBS news program. At the online site you can read a transcript of the interview, or listen to the segment in RealAudio.

While you're at the site, watch the Flash animation explaining how The University of Wisconsin cultured human stem cells.

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