Scientists Make Stem Cells Without Harming Embryos

[Jimmy Durante]

http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology ... cells.html

By using single cells plucked from human embryos, scientists have grown human embryonic stem cells, which can turn into any other kind of cell in the body, while leaving the original embryo intact.

This new technique could potentially allow researchers to generate human embryonic stem cells for therapies and further experiments while avoiding the highly controversial destruction of human embryos required to grow the cells the conventional way.

In addition, the method the scientists used to pluck cells out is already routinely practiced during in vitro fertilization to scan embryos for genetic diseases. This procedure does not harm the embryo's further development.

The researchers at Advanced Cell Technology at Worcester, Mass., coaxed the human embryonic stem cells to become a number of potentially therapeutic cell types. These include blood vessel cells that could help mend hearts after heart attacks, and eye cells "that could help rescue visual function," cell biologist Robert Lanza, Advanced Cell Technology's vice president of research and scientific development, told LiveScience.

[Ginzburgh]

The Christians will still find something wrong with it.

[Zanchief]

Mindia won't be able to complain until he gets his notes from the mother ship.

He's completely unable to think for himself.

[Lueyen]

I can see this in both a good and a bad light. I'm inclined to look at it favorably.

[Narrock]

I can see this in both a good and a bad light. I'm inclined to look at it favorably.

Me too. This science is going in the right direction finally.

[brinstar]

hooray!

they found a way to do this without using garbage that they were going to throw away!

[Narrock]

hooray!

they found a way to do this without using garbage that they were going to throw away!

You're sick.

[Tikker]

I can see this in both a good and a bad light. I'm inclined to look at it favorably.

out of curiosity, what's bad?

[Arlos]

Well, like it or not, Mindia, it's true. The embryos they were going to use for stem cell research were ones that were left over at fertility clinics that WERE going to be just thrown away. Literally. They aren't leftover abortions or anything, they're just cases where the artificial fertilization process produced more than 1 viable embryo. The mother only needs one of them, so they had, well, extra. The original plan was to use them for stem cell research so that at least SOME good would come of them, rather than just being effectively flushed down the toilet, which is what is going to happen anyway.

-Arlos

[Narrock]

Well, like it or not, Mindia, it's true. The embryos they were going to use for stem cell research were ones that were left over at fertility clinics that WERE going to be just thrown away. Literally. They aren't leftover abortions or anything, they're just cases where the artificial fertilization process produced more than 1 viable embryo. The mother only needs one of them, so they had, well, extra. The original plan was to use them for stem cell research so that at least SOME good would come of them, rather than just being effectively flushed down the toilet, which is what is going to happen anyway.

-Arlos

I just don't like the term "garbage" being applied to human embryos.

[Tikker]

why?

it's just a collection of cells

everytime a woman menstruates she's doing the same thing

[Lueyen]

I can see this in both a good and a bad light. I'm inclined to look at it favorably.

out of curiosity, what's bad?

Nothing innately. I do not see any negative aspect with isolated idea, its self is concerned, only where it could lead. I'm not talking about the possibility of beneficial medical breakthrough, I think we can all agree that curing ailments would be a positive aspect. What I do get concerned with however is desensitization and our grip on our own humanity.

Would a cure for anything coming from fetal stem cells give rise to further justification to use extra embryos, beyond that to create them for only that purpose? Could it be used to further justify abortion? I'm not saying these would be the results absolutely, I don't know what the future will bring but I can see it as a possibility. I know brinstar was trying to get a rise out of people, but the fact does remain that at least some people really do see without any concern or recognition that these embryos which are at the very least potential human beings as being nothing more then trash, and that frightens me.

Don't assume that my reservations come from a religious basis, because frankly that is not the case. I don't feel that as a society we are ready to tackle some of the questions that are going to be raised with certain areas of scientific advancement. Even in a "civilized" society that quite frankly has the best of everything we can't even effectively eradicate societal problems that have been posed to man kind since time unmemorable. I don't need to list off the extensive amount of basic problems that society has as of yet failed to resolve I'm sure most would agree that we have many regardless of each individuals ideas on how to solve them. The bottom line is that if we can't even eradicate some of the basic problems that have plagued mankind since the conception of civilized society, then I don't think we are ready to tackle some of the more difficult questions that things like this could give rise to.

In the end I see a lot of potential for some wonderful things, but I also see a slippery and dangerous slope that we could far to easily start down.

[Donnel]

Well said Lue.

[Lyion]

Very well said. I was thinking along the same lines, but Lue summarized it perfectly.