Studies show new ways to get stem cells

[toledo_jesus]

[b]Studies show new ways to get stem cells
[/b]
By Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY Mon Oct 17, 6:24 AM ET

Scientists are pursuing two different ways to create embryonic stem cells without destroying an embryo.

The techniques are in early stages of research and have been tested only in mice. But they "raise promising possibilities" and will open up a new dialogue in the national debate over stem cell research, says William Hurlbut, a professor at the Neuroscience Institute at Stanford University and member of the President's Council on Bioethics.

Hurlbut is opposed to stem cell research that destroys embryos, as is
President Bush, who has blocked federal funding of research on new stem cell colonies. These embryonic cells are master cells from which specific tissues arise. When scientists "harvest" them, the embryo is destroyed. Opponents view that as akin to murder.

The research published online Monday in the journal Nature may one day bypass those moral concerns and open the door to federal funding of the new stem cell lines, with which scientists hope to treat degenerative diseases.

The first method, by Rudolf Jaenisch and Alexander Meissner of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, involves creating mouse embryos with a placenta-development gene blocked. The resulting cell masses lack reproductive potential but can be used to create healthy stem cells. "They can never, ever, become a baby," says Jaenisch, one of the nation's foremost embryonic stem cell researchers.

The second method, from a group headed by Robert Lanza at the company Advanced Cell Technology, uses a single cell from a developing embryo to create a stem cell line without disrupting the embryo's ability to develop.

"Many people, including the president, are concerned about destroying life while trying to save it. We're showing a method by which you can create stem cells without destroying the embryo," Lanza says.

A variation of this process, called preimplantation genetic diagnosis, has been used for several years by couples who carry genes for genetic diseases such as sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis. Embryos are created in a Petri dish, and one cell is removed at an early stage for genetic testing, usually without harming the embryo.

However, the technique has drawn opposition because it damages some embryos, Hurlbut says.

Arthur Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, notes that if these individual cells have the potential to become any cell in the body, those with moral concerns may want to protect them as well.

George Daley, a stem cell researcher at Harvard Medical School, cautions that both techniques are in early stages. "It's not clear it's going to work in human embryos. And in order to determine that we'll have to actually do the research on human embryos and likely destroy some in the process."

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debaters, let's get debating.

[dspen2005]

i read this in the Inquirer.... amazing, how what would appear to be good news, turns out to be a farse.

[Didacus]

Hold on to your horses sugar we've crossed another line!!!

Boooo-Yaaaaa!!! gotta luv it bunch of dummies scientist should be shot club!!

[url="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178498,00.html"]http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178498,00.html[/url]

[daugher-of-Mary]

I just finished a lengthy research paper about the advances in ADULT stem cell research. There is absolutely no reason for them to be messing with embryos. None. ES cells often form teratoma or are rejected by the body all together. AS cells on the other hand won't be rejected, don't grow uncontrolably, and the success stories are incredible. PM me if you want links to the stories.

[Didacus]

Why don't you just post the stories?

And what, pray tell did you think of the headlines I posted?

"Lab Mice Grow Human Brain Cells After Injections"

Remember, we need to keep an open mind on these things... lets not be closed minded biggots and start talking against the work of others which we cannot understand.

[daugher-of-Mary]

for instance, they don't need to be "humanizing" mice to find a cure for parkinson's...

[url="http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-smith042302.asp"]http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comm...smith042302.asp[/url]

[Didacus]

But but but... just think of what we could be accomplishing with semi-mice semi-humans who will do all the work for us? And they don't have souls so we don't need to bother with things like 'caring' for them, or 'being nice to mice' or 'rights they might have'...


Or better yet.. finally, humans can allow animals to evolve intelligence to the extent that equal rights shall FINALLY be extended to animals as well as humans being equally! Brave new wrold... brave new world!

[daugher-of-Mary]

I can hear PETA cheering...

[Didacus]

Yes, hilarious...

how about 20 years from now the goverment will start oto remove children from conservative homes because they are taugt ideas that go against liberism! Operation 'child rescue' will have for a slogan 'Liberism theology - I'm loving it!" and will sell it with BigMacs... hmmmmmm big macs!

[daugher-of-Mary]

[url="http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articles/winter01/stem_cell.html"]http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/arti.../stem_cell.html[/url] (Basic explanation of what the media selectively ignores....)

[url="http://lifesite.net/ldn/2005/jan/05012007.html"]http://lifesite.net/ldn/2005/jan/05012007.html[/url] (stories)

I have more stories from print sources, and will summarize them later...

[BurkeFan]

Communio had a series of articles on this topic (ethical means of obtaining embryonic stem cells). They're here: [url="http://www.communio-icr.com/ant.htm"]http://www.communio-icr.com/ant.htm[/url]