Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Embryonic stem cell research started with mouse embryos in 1981. In the late 1998 a technique was developed to isolate and grow cells derived from human blastocysts. This is the inner cell mass of an early stage embryo. Embryonic stem cell research involving human embryos raises questions of ethical values and therefore created a discussion about the limits and conditions for such research.

There are scientific, ethical, legal, social and economic issues related to human stem cell research and human embryonic stem cell research that are part of an international debate about these issues.

Embryonic stem cells also known as unlimited stem cells are usually obtained from three-day old embryos in fertility clinics. They can develop into any kind of cell type or tissue.