Embryonic stem-cell destruction no longer needed

[wolveraptor]

I heard on the radio that certain scientists had discovered a way to create embryo cells out of somatic cells like the skin. I don't have a source, nor can I explain it well, but it seems that soon, the destruction of embryos may no longer be necessary.

Suppose that we can create perfect replicas of embryos without using real ones: how would fundies probably react? Would it be good to make traditional methods of stem-cell production illegal to calm the relgious right? Or would giving into the crazies be a bad idea?

[Surlethe]

I heard on the radio that certain scientists had discovered a way to create embryo cells out of somatic cells like the skin. I don't have a source, nor can I explain it well, but it seems that soon, the destruction of embryos may no longer be necessary.

Suppose that we can create perfect replicas of embryos without using real ones: how would fundies probably react? Would it be good to make traditional methods of stem-cell production illegal to calm the relgious right? Or would giving into the crazies be a bad idea?

My guess is fundies would say: "If it looks like an embryo, smells like an embryo, tastes like an embryo, then it probably is an embryo", and kick up a shitstorm over humans "playing God" by creating replicas of human embryos.

[Son of the Suns]

We've actually been using stem cells other than from embryos for quite a while now, and in fact, every single successful treatment that currently uses stem cells involves using them. I don't think I've seen a single politician argue against stem cell use, and many of those that object to using embryonic stem cells point to the fact that the other stem cells are more useful (at least for now.)

[Son of the Suns]

Here is one source



I'll warn you right now that if you go looking for info on the web about stem cells, many, if not most, of the sites you find will be those advocating the legalization of stem cells taken from aborted fetuses. These sites tend to downplay or even excluded any mention about the fact that no treatments have actually come out of the use of embryonic stem cells, and try to promote them as a cure-all. So far most of the experiments run with them form tumors. This isn't to say that some day we will be able to use them effectively in treatments.

[genkkov]

What you say is true, from a certain point of view. Now and in the future, it's adult stem cells that are probably going to be the most useful, and really ideal, as they have less potential for side effects (malignancy), and would be autografts. Fetal stem cells, however, are required for basic science research to get us closer to actually doing all of this stuff. So none of the treatments up to this point uses fetal stem cells, but all of them use knowledge that was obtained through the use of fetal stem cells.

[wolveraptor]

It seems that they've been able to create exact replicas of fetal stem-cells by...uh, fusing them, or something? I really didn't understand the mechanism, but they apparently are on their way to performing research on stemcells created from somatic cells, not from the actual reproductive system.

[Winston Blake]

I heard on the radio that certain scientists had discovered a way to create embryo cells out of somatic cells like the skin. I don't have a source, nor can I explain it well, but it seems that soon, the destruction of embryos may no longer be necessary.

Why is this news? Something i've been wondering about all this stem cell controversy is that I was under the impression they've been able to dedifferentiate blood cells and use the stem cells to partially regrow limbs on rats for decades. Not sure where i read about it though, might've been a book called The Body Electric.

[Sriad]

[...] and many of those that object to using embryonic stem cells point to the fact that the other stem cells are more useful (at least for now.)

That tends to happen when you can actually get reserch done with them.

[tumbletom]

[quote="wolveraptor"]I heard on the radio that certain scientists had discovered a way to create embryo cells out of somatic cells like the skin. quote]

I know this seems like a stupid question, but can these somatic embryo cells be fertilized and grow into a human?

[Qwerty 42]

I think, though I may be and probably am wrong, that the use of embryonic stem cells is that they are human cells that haven't turned into anything yet. Whereas adult stem cells taken from the skin may only be used as skin stem cells, embryonic stem cells could be turned into any cell in the body.

I think what the article is getting at is that they can turn the somatic cells into the versatile tools embryonic cells are, not that they could actually turn into humans.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, my only knowledge on this matter comes from a national geographic article.

[Molyneux]

I heard on the radio that certain scientists had discovered a way to create embryo cells out of somatic cells like the skin. quote]

I know this seems like a stupid question, but can these somatic embryo cells be fertilized and grow into a human?

Probably not...yet

[avatarxprime]

What the article is most likely talking about is therapeutic cloning. In this process you take a somatic cell, extract the nucleus and fuse it into an egg taken from a woman. The resulting cell can be coaxed into becoming an embryo (which is a clone of the individual the somatic cell came from) from which stem cells can be harvested. Or they could be taking about dedifferentiation, which is literally turning somatic cells back into stem cells. This would be a more ideal method as you could simply grow a culture of cells from a person and then turn them all into stem cells.

Here's a link on therapeutic cloning http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/859672.stm

One on dedifferentiation http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/859672.stm

[HemlockGrey]

I'm annoyed at the idea, which seems to be popular amongst conservative politicians and individuals in general, that the current lack of benefits shown by embryonic stem cells is a valid reason to abandon scientific investigation in them completely. It betrays a complete ignorance of the long and ardorous process through which scientific discoveries are made and such a mindset simply hinders any future scientific endeavors.