About This Print-Ready Online Brochure The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR) is proud to offer this backgrounder on stem cell research for grassroots advocates who want an easy-to-understand reference tool to share with family, friends, and colleagues to help explain why embryonic stem cell research is important to the future of medical research. To view our regular online brochure, click here. What are stem cells? Stem cells have the ability to renew themselves and act as the body's repair system by replenishing many types of cells in the body. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential to remain a stem cell or become another type of more specific cell, such as a heart muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell. Because of the unique regeneration and repair nature of stem cells, scientists study them to understand the role of genes in human development, see how infections attack human cells, learn how environmental factors affect cell growth, and find treatments and cures for diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, juvenile diabetes, and spinal cord injuries. What are embryonic stem cells? Human embryonic stem cells come from an egg that has been fertilized in a lab as part of the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process for couples that struggle with infertility. When this process is completed, there are often excess embryos that will never be used for reproductive purposes and are discarded. Instead, these embryos can be donated for scientific research, which is a choice many couples make. It is important to know that embryonic stem cells cannot and do not come from eggs fertilized inside a woman's body, nor do they come from a miscarriage or abortion. Embryonic stem cells come from a microscopic ball of cells called a blastocyst — or, an embryo that is just a few days old. To understand this stage of development, some people find it helpful to realize that the ball of cells is smaller than the period at the end of this sentence. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, which means they are able to develop into nearly any of more than 200 types of cells in the body. Scientists create what are called "stem cell lines" or cells that are grown in culture and consistently multiply genetically identical cells for use in research to observe diseases or test treatments and cures. What are adult stem cells? Adult stem cells come from an existing, specific tissue or cell. They are not pluripotent, but are already developed into a particular category of cell, such as blood cell. The term "adult" doesn't mean they come from human adults; they can be found in babies and adults in specific tissue in the body. Adult stem cells maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found, including the brain, bone marrow, blood, muscle, skin, and liver. What are the similarities and differences between embryonic and adult stem cells? Embryonic stem cells can become nearly every cell type of the body because they are pluripotent. On their own, adult stem cells are limited to becoming cells only of their originating tissue or organ. Both types of cells are important to medical research since new treatments and cures for a large number of diseases may come from either source. What are cord blood cells? Even though their name might not sound like it, umbilical cord blood cells are a category of adult stem cells. They come from the umbilical cord blood of a newborn child, and are not pluripotent. As adult stem cells, umbilical cord blood stem cells can only become cells that repair the blood and bone marrow systems. What are some of the latest developments in stem cell research? In 2007, adult stem cell research and new research creating induced pluripotent stem or "iPS" cells generated some excitement in the research community. Scientists have also found adult stem cells in more tissues than they had before. These findings have opened the door to new questions and possibilities for therapies involving adult stem cells. Scientists are now working to see if adult stem cells can be "reprogrammed" to act as embryonic stem cells. These scientists credited their latest successes on early work in embryonic stem cell research, and believe that more research needs to be done on embryonic stem cells to further advance all areas of stem cell research. Why are scientists excited about stem cell research, particularly embryonic stem cells? Some of the most serious and debilitating medical conditions happen because of abnormal cell division and development. By studying embryonic stem cells, scientists can better understand these diseases at a cellular level, and then develop and test new treatments and potential cures. And, because of embryonic stem cells' ability to become any tissue in the body, they offer the possibility of creating tissue for transplantation while potentially overcoming the barrier of immune rejection usually associated with organ transplants. Why should I care about stem cell research? Researchers have only been working with human embryonic stem cells since 1998, when a group of scientists led by Dr. James Thomson at the University of Wisconsin first developed the technique to isolate and grow the cells. And, federal funds to support this research have only been available since 2001. Because a large number of researchers and universities rely on government funding for research, and because federal funding is limited by current policy, embryonic stem cell research is moving at a slower pace than adult stem cell research. In contrast, adult stem cell research has been around for more than 40 years, and the use of these cells has led to the successful bone marrow transplants and other treatments for leukemia, lymphoma and other blood disorders. To date, over 95 percent of federal funding for stem cell research goes toward adult stem cell projects. What diseases have been cured with stem cell research? No diseases have been entirely cured with embryonic or adult stem cells. Adult stem cell research has provided highly beneficial treatments for blood-related diseases; unfortunately, it hasn't shown promise outside the universe of blood-related diseases. Scientists want to pursue embryonic stem cell research because they believe the cells offer great promise for a broad range of diseases due to their rapid growth and pluripotency. Many of the world's leading scientists believe that the relatively young science of embryonic stem cell research holds the greatest promise for developing new treatments and cures. Current state of federal funding and oversight On August 9, 2001, President Bush announced, that for the first time, federal funding would be used for human embryonic stem cell research, but only on the stem cell lines that were created prior to that date. At the time of the 2001 policy announcement, 78 stem cell lines were assumed eligible for federal funding. Since that time and as of today, very few lines — just 21 — are available for distribution and study due to contamination and changes to the cells over time rendering them unusable. This means that the limited number of available cell lines prevent funding of many excellent research studies on numerous diseases. Though federal law allows all forms of stem cell research in the U.S., federal funding is restricted. And, because President Bush's policy has not kept pace with our nation's scientific and medical progress, Senators and Representatives worked to pass the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act in both the House and the Senate. In 2006 and 2007 the bill was presented to President Bush for his signature to make it law. Because the President did not support the bill, he used his veto power to block it, and his policy limiting research funding still stands. The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act would have allowed federal research funding for new cell lines created from donated embryos that were no longer needed by couples undergoing infertility treatment in IVF clinics, and were slated to be discarded. The bill called for even stronger ethical requirements on federally funded stem cell lines. Its bipartisan co-sponsors and both houses of Congress believed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act would help speed progress toward cures and treatments, while maintaining ethical and enforceable guidelines. The leadership at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has stated publicly their belief that it is important that our nation find a way to support and pursue both adult and embryonic stem cell research. What Can I Do To Make a Difference? Learn more! Because the science is ever changing, it is important to stay informed about current issues and facts surrounding stem cell research. Both the National Academy of Sciences (www.nasonline.org) and the National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov) are factual, non-partisan resources for information and news. If you, a family member, or friend is affected by a disease or disorder for which embryonic stem cell research provides hope, you may want to join a related national or local organization (www.camradvocacy.org/members.aspx). Not only do they provide more information about stem cell research as it relates to a particular medical condition, they also offer channels and tools for advocacy and action. Talk to others in your community A great way to make a difference in the area of stem cell research is to talk about it. Armed with facts, knowledge of some research advances, and your own personal story, you may want to offer to speak in front of a community group or your church, or even talk about it with neighbors, friends, and family members. It's important to tell your story so that others can see and hear real people with real stories. This is a great way to help others understand what stem cell research is about, and why it's important to you. Listen to others in your community Listening to other's views is just as important as talking. People in your community or circle of friends may have questions about stem cell research, or may have some misguided notions about what the research really does. Sadly, some groups even spread wrong information on purpose to sway public opinion. You can help by listening to others' concerns, understand where they're coming from, and by offering a positive attitude to encourage an open, respectful dialogue. If people seem open to learning more, share some of your resources with them for additional reading and learning. Find out what, if any, legislation is pending in your state Because President Bush twice vetoed federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, many states are pursuing research using state or private funds. Be aware of what's going on in your state — not just in the area of funding, but also be aware of political efforts through legislation, ballot initiative, or administrative policy that may ban certain forms of stem cell research that are approved for use nationwide. Let your voice be heard Now more than ever is a time to take action. Find out where your elected officials stand on embryonic stem cell research and make sure they know how you feel. If you support their position, tell them so. If you disagree with their position, tell them so. Each one of us has a powerful story to tell about the importance of stem cell research, and nearly unlimited opportunity to tell those stories. You could write a letter to the editor or author an op-ed for your local newspaper. You could offer to give a speech at a community meeting, or set up a town hall meeting and invite a local expert to speak. You could also share your views about stem cell research in the state or federal legislative arenas by sending letters or emails to your elected officials. Or, you could plan a trip to your state capital or Washington, DC to set up a meeting with their staff to make sure they hear your voice. You can sign up for CAMR's alerts and ideas about other important ways to help change current law at www.camradvocacy.org. You could make a short video and post it online. You could start a blog. You could start an email newsletter. Whatever you decide, know that you have the power to create real change and fight for full and fair funding of all forms of stem cell research.