Human embryonic stem cells (hESC), those very young cells that are a biological blank slate, have the potential to become more specialized, contributing to the workings of a wide variety of organs and tissues. Their potential to treat diseases such as Parkinson’s is slow to be realized because of the ongoing ethical debate over harvesting hESCs, a process called deriving hESC lines. Additionally, it’s a politically charged issue in the U.S. because it involves federal funding for research.
