A balanced, plain-English guide to this politically charged topic

This friendly, practical guide cuts away the hype and clearly presents the facts on stem cells. It explains what stem cells are and what they do, the legalities of harvesting them and using them in research, the latest research findings from the United States and abroad, and the prospects for medical stem cell therapies in the short and long term.

• Brushing up on biology ? understand the basics of cells and tissues and take a guided tour of the history of stem cell research

• Delving into stem cell science ? get easy-to-follow explanations of embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and sources of stem cells

• Where we are now ? dig into the current practices in stem cell treatments, trials, and transplants

• The possibilities are endless ? discover how stem cells are projected to make medical advances in the understanding and improved treatment of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more

• Understanding the debate ? explore the ethical, religious, philosophical, and moral questions related to stem cell research and get armed with the knowledge needed to take an informed stance

Open the book and find:

• The current laws and policies

• Ethical, religious, and moral considerations

• How stem cells are being used to understand and treat specific diseases

• Safety issues associated with stem cells

• The pros and cons of current treatments

• Promising leads for spinal cord injuries

• Uses for hybrid, chimera, clone, and cybrid cells

• How stem cell banking works

Learn to:

• Sort through straight, unbiased facts about the stem cell debate

• Understand what stem cells are and how they work

• Appreciate how stem cells are used in research and treatment

• Look to the future to what's in store for stem cell research