That's a nice read... being that I've always supported Stem Cell research... but what does it have to do with nekkid skunk furres?
Now, the article about mixing human and cow embryos, that would be more appropriate as we could splice human and skunk cells to artificially grow a nekkid skunk gals :P
Martin Evans <chacoanasazi_at_gmail.com> wrote:
Embryonic stem cells can repair eyes, company says
Mon May 7, 2007 1:11PM EDT
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Stem cells made from human embryos can home in
on damaged eyes, hearts and arteries of mice and rats, and appear to
start repairs, a U.S. company said on Monday.
Massachusetts-based Advanced Cell Technology said it had devised a
straightforward way to make blood vessel precursor cells out of the
stem cells and plans to test them in humans.
"We figured out how to produce literally billions of so-
called 'hemangioblasts' -- the mythical cell in the embryo that gives
rise to our entire blood and immune system as well as to the blood
vessels in our body," Dr. Robert Lanza, vice president of research
and scientific development at ACT, said in an e-mail.
"We've also tested these cells in animals for the first time, and it
turns out that they have incredible reparative potential."
Embryonic stem cells are the ultimate master cell of the body, giving
rise to all of the tissues and organs. The use of human embryonic
stem cells is controversial because many people oppose destroying the
embryo.
The U.S. Congress has passed several bills that would expand federal
funding of human embryonic stem cell research but President George W.
Bush vetoed one and has said he will veto any more.
However, companies working with private funding, such as the over-the-
counter listed ACT, may do as they please.
Working with embryonic stem cells is not easy. For medical uses,
researchers would like to partly differentiate them -- start them
down the road toward becoming a specific cell or tissue type.
PREVENTING CONTAMINATION
Another roadblock is that many of the current batches, or lines, of
stem cells must be grown in a serum culture taken from animal blood.
This can contaminate them with viruses.
Writing in the journal Nature Methods, Lanza's team said they found a
way to grow and differentiate human embryonic stem cells without
using culture.
They directed the stem cells into becoming what they believe are
hemangioblasts, the blood vessel precursor cells, although other
teams will have to replicate this for it to be accepted.
"When injected into the bloodstream, they homed to the other side of
the body and repaired damaged vasculature within 24 to 48 hours,"
Lanza said.
"For example, we injected the cells into mice with damaged retinas
due to diabetes or other eye injury. The cells (labeled green)
migrated to the injured eye, and incorporated and lit-up the entire
damaged vasculature. The cells are really smart, and amazingly, knew
not to do anything in uninjured eyes."
The researchers killed the mice to check the cells' progress, so they
do not know the long-term effects.
"The cells also showed remarkable reparative capacity in animals with
heart attacks and ischemic (blocked by a blood clot) limbs. The cells
reduce the mortality rate by 50 percent after a massive heart
attack," Lanza said.
"If the same thing works in humans (these would be the same human
cells we would probably use), you might be able to prevent patients
from having legs and other limbs amputated by simply injecting some
cells."
William Caldwell, chairman and chief executive officer of Advanced
Cell Technology, said the company wanted to test the cells in people
and had asked the Food and Drug Administration for permission to do
so by the end of next year.
"We also have studies underway indicating that the cells can also
considerably accelerate wound healing, repair lung damage, and can
even generate unlimited amounts of red blood cells for transfusion,"
Lanza said.
Signed by your friend and mine,
The Cat =^.^=
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Received on Mon May 21 2007 - 10:28:04 CDT