The area of study cell research has been highly controversial due to where stem cells are harvested: aborted fetuses, human embryos, umbilical cord blood, etc. Scientists are very excited about the potential uses of stem cells to develop many other types of tissue, making it possible to grow organs and other body parts. Its an exciting proposition and breakthough in biomedical research.
But.
And its a big but. There are moral issues of fertilizing human eggs for the purpose of using those potential human beings by harvesting cells for research that prevents that life from beginning.
What if stem cells can be found elsewhere?
Like in breastmilk?
A researcher out of Australia was astonished to find that human breastmilk contains stem cells. Further research will determine if these stem cells can be used to grow other tissues. At this point all that is known is, "these cells have all the physical characteristics of stem cells. What we will do next is to see if they behave like stem cells,” says the researcher.
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