Editing Embryonic stem cell (section)

{{Short description|Type of pluripotent blastocystic stem cell}}
[[File:Humanstemcell.JPG|300px|thumb|right|Human embryonic stem cells in [[cell culture]]]]
[[File:Stem cells diagram.png|300px|thumb|right|Pluripotent: Embryonic stem cells are able to develop into any type of cell, excepting those of the placenta. Only embryonic stem cells of the [[morula]] are [[totipotent]]: able to develop into any type of cell, including those of the placenta.]]

'''Embryonic stem cells''' ('''ESCs''') are [[Cell potency#Pluripotency|pluripotent]] [[stem cell]]s derived from the [[inner cell mass]] of a [[blastocyst]], an early-stage pre-[[Implantation (human embryo)|implantation]] [[embryo]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Thomson |title=Blastocysts Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Derived from Human |journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |volume=282 |issue=5391 |pages=1145–1147 |year=1998 |pmid= 9804556|doi=10.1126/science.282.5391.1145 |last2=Itskovitz-Eldor |first2=J |last3=Shapiro |first3=SS |last4=Waknitz |first4=MA |last5=Swiergiel |first5=JJ |last6=Marshall |first6=VS |last7=Jones |first7=JM|bibcode=1998Sci...282.1145T |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="NIH1">{{cite web |title=Stem Cell Basics {{!}} STEM Cell Information |url=https://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/stc-basics/#stc-I |website=stemcells.nih.gov |access-date=5 June 2022 |archive-date=9 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609014145/https://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/stc-basics/#stc-I |url-status=live }}</ref> Human [[embryo]]s reach the [[blastocyst]] stage 4–5 days post [[Human fertilization|fertilization]], at which time they consist of 50–150 cells. Isolating the [[inner cell mass]] (embryoblast) using [[immunosurgery]] results in destruction of the blastocyst, a process [[Stem cell controversy|which raises ethical issues]], including whether or not embryos at the pre-implantation stage have the same moral considerations as embryos in the post-implantation stage of development.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Baldwing A|title= Morality and human embryo research. Introduction to the Talking Point on morality and human embryo research. |journal=[[EMBO Reports]] |volume=10 |issue= 4 |pages= 299–300 |year=2009|pmid= 19337297 |doi=10.1038/embor.2009.37 |pmc=2672902}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Nakaya|first=Andrea C.|title=Biomedical ethics|url=https://archive.org/details/biomedicalethics0000naka|url-access=limited|publisher=ReferencePoint Press|location=San Diego, CA|isbn=978-1601521576|pages=[https://archive.org/details/biomedicalethics0000naka/page/96 96]|date=August 1, 2011}}</ref>

Researchers are currently focusing heavily on the therapeutic potential of embryonic stem cells, with clinical use being the goal for many laboratories.<ref name="NIH1"/> Potential uses include the treatment of [[diabetes]] and [[heart disease]].<ref name="NIH1"/> The cells are being studied to be used as clinical therapies, models of [[genetic disorders]], and cellular/DNA repair. However, adverse effects in the research and clinical processes such as tumors and unwanted [[immune response]]s have also been reported.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Risk factors in the development of stem cell therapy |author1=Carla A Herberts |author2=Marcel SG Kwa |author3=Harm PH Hermsen |journal=Journal of Translational Medicine |doi=10.1186/1479-5876-9-29 |pmid = 21418664|pmc = 3070641|year=2011 |volume=9 |pages = 29|number=29 |doi-access=free }}</ref>