Stem Cell Breakthrough?

(AP)  Three teams of scientists say they have produced the equivalent of embryonic stem cells, at least in mice, without taking the controversial step of destroying embryos.

Their procedure makes ordinary skin cells behave like stem cells. If the same can be done with human cells — a big if — the procedure could lead to breakthrough medical treatments without the contentious ethical and political debates surrounding the use of embryos.

Embryonic stem cells can give rise to all types of tissue, so experts believe they might be used to create transplant therapies for people who are paralyzed or have illnesses ranging from diabetes to Parkinson's disease.

To harvest human embryonic stem cells, human embryos have to be destroyed, an action opposed by many people. The new studies are the latest to attempt to avoid embryo destruction.

Scientists have long hoped to find a way to reprogram ordinary body cells to act like stem cells, avoiding the use of embryos altogether. The new mouse studies seem to have accomplished that.

"I think it's one of the most exciting things that has come out about embryonic stem cells, period," said stem cell researcher Dr. Asa Abeliovich of Columbia University in New York, who didn't participate in the work. "It's very convincing that it's real."

But he and others cautioned that it will take further study to see whether this scientific advance can be harnessed for new human therapies.

"We have a long way to go," said John Gearhart of Johns Hopkins University, a stem cell researcher who also was not involved in the new work.

In any case, it is crucial that scientists continue research with standard embryonic stem cells, said researcher Konrad Hochedlinger of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, who led one of the three teams.

He and his colleagues present their work in the inaugural issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell. The first word in the journal's name refers to its publisher, Cell Press.

The other two teams reported their results Wednesday on the Web site of the journal Nature. Rudolf Jaenisch of the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, Mass., is the senior author of one paper; the work behind the other paper was led by Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University in Japan.

The new work builds on a landmark paper Yamanaka published last August. He found that by slipping four genes into mouse skin cells called fibroblasts, he could make the altered cells behave much like embryonic stem cells in lab tests.

But these so-called "iPS" cells still showed significant differences from embryonic stem cells. The three new papers report on creating iPS cells that proved virtually identical to stem cells in a variety of lab tests.

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[brianbwb-2009]

So we inject these mouse stem cells, then forever afterward we defecate small black pellets...

Seriously, I remember research that injected stem cells into Parkinson's patients, resulting in uncontrollable violent spastic activity until the patients died from exhaustion. Shades of Mengele, because something is possible does not make it necessary. We have gotten along since the beginning dying from everything, death is part of life.

In the unlikely event a cure for all disease and death is found, what do we do then about a finite world with finite resources?

[imnho]

If they can create stem cells from non-embrionic cells that should satify both sides. That would be one less thing to fight about.

I always thought it was absurd to fight over using cells that were destined to be thrown in the trash if not used.

[feelfree1]

Re: "I think it's one of the most exciting things that has come out about embryonic stem cells, period," said stem cell researcher Dr. Asa Abeliovich of Columbia University in New York, who didn't participate in the work.

This strikes me as a very strange thing for an expert to say in reaction to this news. If these stem cells were generated from skin cells, as is reported here, then there is no reason to think that an embrio was involved, in any way, with these experiments.

The article even states:

"Scientists have long hoped to find a way to reprogram ordinary body cells to act like stem cells, avoiding the use of embryos altogether."

So why is this 'expert' talking about embrios?

[Gene Long]

Seven pesos, you are about the dumbest *** that I've heard in awhile. Come on down south so I can spank your punk little candy azz!

[eta_carinae]

Do you have anything better to do than flame Christians?

[seven-pesos]

same bush supporting christians snakes that send americans to die in a useless war

condemn the use of stem cells that will save human lives.

i think those idiot christian creeps got it backwards.

ha,ha,ha.

war, hate, slimy christian snakes...

nothing good comes out of the south!

[rheola-2009]

Global_chick

You have every right to disagree with what I post, however please understand that in no way could I or would I agree with any thing Seven-pesos posts.
He obviously has MENTALITY PROBLEM

[global_chick]

Truly, I have seen more abject hatred and intolerance spewed here than I have by any Christian.

[seven-pesos]

christian creeps condemn stem cell research...

but those snakes will be the first ones to use it to save their miserable lives.

ha,ha,ha.

what a bunch of hypocrite snakes.

war, hate, phony christian creeps...

nothing good comes out of the south!

[bigsk8fan]

Good, if we get rid of Bush and anyone in congress who opposes stem cell research, then maybe scientists can help mankind.