Saturday, April 8, 2017

Stem Cells Can Now Grow Any Tissue Type - Science

Nothing stokes OPR (i.e. Other People's Religion) more than discussion of stem cells but we observe the science came from the Salk Institute and OPR usually comes from Wichita but the only other things to ever come from Kansas were Western movies so that state was done before the end of the 19th Century.  We will stick with the Salk Institute.

When scientists talk about laboratory stem cells being totipotent or pluripotent, they mean that the cells have the potential, like an embryo, to develop into any type of tissue in the body. What totipotent stem cells can do that pluripotent ones can't do, however, is develop into tissues that support the embryo, like the placenta. These are called extra-embryonic tissues, and are vital in development and healthy growth.

Science Daily: Ability of stem cells expanded to regrow any tissue type



Human EPS cells (green) can be detected in both the embryonic part (left) and extra-embryonic parts (placenta and yolk sac, right) of a mouse embryo

Credit: Salk Institute


That's usually the point at which someone starts screaming about playing with life but we will dispense with theatrical theology and go straight to the fact this isn't so much of a change although it expands the potential applications for stem cells somewhat.


Now, scientists at the Salk Institute, in collaboration with researchers from Peking University, in China, are reporting their discovery of a chemical cocktail that enables cultured mouse and human stem cells to do just that: generate both embryonic and extra-embryonic tissues. Their technique, described in the journal Cell on April 6, 2017, could yield new insights into mammalian development that lead to better disease modeling, drug discovery and even tissue regeneration. This new technique is expected to be particularly useful for modeling early developmental processes and diseases affecting embryo implantation and placental function, possibly paving the way for improved in vitro fertilization techniques.

- SD

Ed:  right.  That means they will be implanting cyborg monkeys and who knows what else!

Kee-rist, Dr Kildare, take it easy.  You have never done anything more medically-sophisticated than changing a Band-Aid and you will lecture on the potential ramifications of some type of change?  Other than which color of Band-Aid you prefer, what can you possibly offer.


Moreover, the team found that the new mouse stem cells have a superior ability to form chimeras and a single cell could give rise to an entire adult mouse, which is unprecedented in the field, according to the team.

- SD

Ed:  I tell you their plan is to make a clone army and kill us all!

Erm, you do understand this is not CNN, yes?


Let's stand back so all those who bomb civilians in Syria can tell us why it's such a moral outrage to screw around with stem cells.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I thought the only push back on stem cell research was the cell lines originating from aborted fetuses.
Which was why the research was done overseas rather than in the US.
I would think that if you are including moral outrage you would lay a good portion of that to the chemical attacks on the children in Syria.
Or maybe that was justified killing during a civil war

Unknown said...

Frankly, I don't know where they get them now. I don't see any moral outrage in harvesting any stem cells, tho. Maybe there's a case it was a moral outrage to abort the fetus in the first place but, after the fact, I don't see it makes any difference. If they whack a fetus only to harvest stem cells, they're probably already too far over the edge for moral outrage to make any difference.

Rockhouse on abortion isn't changed since I don't like it and have never asked anyone to do it but I won't stand in anyone else's way. It's not for me to call what's right in the circumstance since only the mother knows for sure.

Anonymous said...

The logic is the same as getting proceeds from a crime.
Now they can use placenta material but not fetal cells. It may have changed Michael J Fox has been very active in trying to change the rules
If you have no problem with abortion you would not have a problem with the fetal cell use. And the opposite would also be true.
Trying to change the someone's view on abortion is is the epitome of futility.

Unknown said...

People can argue about abortion all day long and the trouble is ... they do.