Stem Cell Mis-information

In a recent article published in the Telegraph, it was reported that "Embryonic stem cells have the power to develop into any of the 220 cell types that make up the different tissues of the human body, but they are mired in controversy because they must be extracted from aborted foetuses."


Embryonic stem cells are in fact derived from pre-implantation blastocysts, about 3 days after fertilization. At this point they consist of about 150 cells and are smaller than the period at the end of a sentence. Foetal-derived stem cells, which often come from aborted feotuses, are typically derived 8 weeks post-fertilization.


Embryonic stem cells can be sucessfully created from blastocysts selected at invitro fertilization clinics after they have been deemed non-viable for life, meaning that they would never develop into a human foetus if implanted.


Embryonic stem cells are far less controversial than tissue derived from aborted foetuses, yet we continously seem to equate them to the same thing.

Note: Due to the UK origin of the quote that inspired this post the English spelling, foetus, was used. The American spelling is fetus.