A report on a promising new source of stem cells excites researchers as the political debate over embryonic stem cell research heats up in Congress.

Researchers at Harvard University and Wake Forest University recently reported that amniotic fluid – the fluid that surrounds a developing fetus in the womb – is rich in stem cells that appear to be able to develop into several different cell types. The amniotic fluid was donated by pregnant women without harming the fetuses; however, many are still unsure such sources of stem cells will alleviate the controversy of embryonic stem cell research that often destroys the embryo.

“It’s important to secure a safe and abundant source of stem cells,” said Vaclav Ourednik, associate professor of biomedical sciences.

Stem cells are characterized by their pluripotency – their ability to turn into a number of cell types – pluripotency is most common in the youngest stem cells. This adaptability has spurred hopes of finding cures for serious health problems such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, spinal cord injury and other diseases that could benefit from tissue repair via stem cells.

Ourednik said if amniotic stem cells could be effectively used in treating diseases, a sample of amniotic fluid could possibly be frozen and stored after a person’s birth and used to treat a person if he or she becomes sick later in life. He said the issue of stem cell research demonstrated a need for consolidation between politics, science and commerce.

However, researchers have not yet determined exactly how effective amniotic stem cells will be compared to embryonic stem cells.

“[Amniotic stem cells] are not present as early in the development of the fetus,” said Marit Nilsen-Hamilton, professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology. “They probably don’t have the same potential.”

It is still widely believed that embryonic stem cells have the most differentiation capacity. The House of Representatives recently passed H.R. 3, a bill that would return federal funding to stem cell research, despite the threat of veto from President Bush. However, the 253-174 vote fell short of the two-thirds margin needed to overturn a presidential veto.

“I don’t think that it will make the controversy go away at all,” said Clark Wolf, associate professor of philosophy and religious studies and director of the ISU Bioethics Program.

Current embryonic stem cell research is performed within only a few select lines of samples, many of which are reported to be contaminated with nonhuman genetic material.

Many researchers hope that lessening restrictions on stem cell research would allow scientists to obtain new embryo samples from leftover fertilized eggs from fertility clinics.

Although Wolf acknowledged that many people feel the leftover embryos should be adopted by couples as “snowflake babies,” he said once an embryo passes a certain age, implantation is not recommended. He said these embryos would better serve as research material instead of being thrown away.

“Like milk on a shelf, there’s an expiration date past which it would be immoral to implant an embryo,” Wolf said. “There would be a serious risk.”

Wolf said the new stem cell bill’s early placement on the docket shows how high a priority the issue is for many people. Stem cell research was a major issue in the last election; many politicians pushing for research funding got support from celebrities, including actor and Parkinson’s patient Michael J. Fox.

“A majority of Americans support this,” Wolf said. “You can’t accuse the president of pandering to public opinion; he’s not adopting a popular view.”

Although Wolf is confident that a descendent of H.R. 3 will lessen stem cell research restrictions someday, both he and Nilsen-Hamilton are worried about whether U.S. researchers will be able to compete with other countries where embryonic stem cell research is allowed.

“It will take a long time to get back in the forefront,” Nilsen-Hamilton said. “Anyone who wants to do work on it is not going to come to the U.S. We’ve essentially lost a generation of new scientists.”