Why and how are human cells used for research?
A single cell is the building block for human life. It holds the secret to inherited diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, Down syndrome, and heart disease. Scientists around the world utilize human cell cultures or the genetic materials derived from these cells, the DNA, as the primary resource for their research. These studies make possible scientific breakthroughs which form the basis for early diagnosis and new and better medical treatments for diseases which are incurable at the present.
