Just over a decade ago, two scientists, Thomson and Gearhart, isolated human embryonic stem cells. These experiments generated intense excite-ment about the potential therapeutic promise of stem cells for a wide range of diseases and conditions such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injury, as well as controversies about moral, legal, ethical, social, and cultural issues. The areas of controversy are many and nuanced, and are so dynamic that they are in a constant state of flux.

doi : 10.5214/ans.0972.7531.2009.160403