Embryonic Stem Cells

So we are studying stem cell research in class

A sperm and an egg are introduced in vitro(in a dish) and are allowed to grow to a developmental stage before implantation in the uterus. Those that aren’t used are thrown away. A scientist takes one of these embryos and about 5 days after developing the embryo divides into the trophectoderm and the inner cell mass(ICM). This ICM is extracted and used to conduct research. This is the embryonic stem cell.

The allure of this cell to many scientists is that these cells can divide amongst themselves and become any cell in the body. Theoretically you could replace tissue and connections (CNS and PNS). You could test drugs on heart tissue for example without needing an actual heart and complications arise when trying to apply animal research to humans. You could eliminate that.

One of the major challenges is that it’s really hard to do and science hasn’t come that far yet. Another challenge though is an ethical one and all this was to build up to this ethics part. An argument against stem cell research is that you are killing life. The egg and sperm have the potential to be a human and by doing this you extinguish that possibility. On the other hand people say the egg was going to die anyway when its discarded(as a side note an egg that is fertilized in vitro has zero chance of being a person until it’s implanted in a uterus). On the other hand if someone is on death row is it ok to harvest his organs before he dies since he was going to die anyway? On the other hand the stem cells can be used to not only test new drugs but to also cure a number of diseases: parkinsons, huntigtons, alzheimers and ALS(lou gehrigs). This could SAVE many people not to mention the many people that are waiting for donors and matches. Does the end justify the means? They could just grow themselves a new kidney or what not. Many advances in science and the things we enjoy now have come at a price many never consider or think of.

So, my question is this: is stem cell research ok? 

I'm A Photographer

these are all pics that i have taken in my Neuro 481 class and they are all of brain and spinal chord slices under a microscope. the magnification varies from 40x-400x. these are the images that scientists look at and determine how your brain works. its amazing to me how all these little dots can actually mean something to someone. see if you can figure out which section is where in the body. The stains used are Silver(the brown ones, i know its borwn and not silver but thats how it comes out), Luxol Fast Blue(the blueis purpleish ones), and a combination Hematoxylin and Eosin stain(the pink ones).

in 481 we are studying histology(microscopic study of tissue) for the first half of the semester. so ive learned how to prepare a brain to put on a slide and i have done actual staining and preparation of slides. ive learned how to use a microscope etc. im SUPPOSED to know what im looking at too hehe