Is this Cell a Human Being?

• Introduction.- Breakthrough in stem cell research? The reprogramming of somatic cells to pluripotent stem cells. Overview and outlook.- Pre-implantation stages of human development: the biological and moral status of early embryos.- Complete moles and parthenotes are not organisms.- Embryos grown in culture deserve the same moral status as embryos after implantation.- Distinguishing embryos from non-embryos.- Is the human embryo a person? On the status of cell entities produced through ANT.- Does a human being have a right to life? The debate on embryo research in Germany as a case study.- Interspecies mixtures and the status of humanity.- The boundaries of humanity: the ethics of human-animal chimeras in cloning and stem cell research.- Is this cell entity a human being? Neural activity, spiritual soul, and the status of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

From the reviews: "This book begins with an accurate synopsis of stem cell research, embryological development, genetic modification, and the scientific perspectives on the definition of death. ... The book also addresses ethical issues related to animal rights. Current primary references are provided with each chapter, and there is a glossary of philosophical and scientific terms used in the book at the end. ... A useful acquisition for bioethics, public policy, and law collections. Summing Up: Recommended. Academic, professional, and general readers, all levels." (B. R. Shmaefsky, Choice, Vol. 49 (5), January, 2012)