Stem Cell Treatments

[Gandalf]

Yet another promising development from adult stem cells (http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16074826-13762,00.html)...

[wbthornton]

Here is another: Bone marrow may be source of new egg-cell generation in adult mammals (http://www.massgeneral.org/news/releases/072705tilly.html)

[Debbie]

The adult stem cells sounds actually very very promising.

[wbthornton]

Adult stem cells have actually produced more than 100 different treatments. Fetal cells have produced none, and really aren't close to producing any. I don't understand why anyone, especially considering the track record, would consider fetal stem cells. And when you factor in moral implications of creating then destroying life.......

[ICarlson99]

Adult stem cells have actually produced more than 100 different treatments. Fetal cells have produced none, and really aren't close to producing any. I don't understand why anyone, especially considering the track record, would consider fetal stem cells. And when you factor in moral implications of creating then destroying life.......

What, you expect anti-Bush raving liberals to cave in to LOGIC??? Silly.... :p

[wbthornton]

What, you expect anti-Bush raving liberals to cave in to LOGIC??? Silly.... :p
That's just too much ask I guess :p

[sandie]

Stem cell treatments are interesting!

A friend of mine was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, an incurable cancer of the bone marrow, the week of the September 11 attacks. His stem cells were harvested from his bone marrow about two years ago when his condition deteriorated, he was given a large dose of chemotherapy, and then the stem cells were inserted back into his body. His condition improved dramatically.

Recently I attended the 18th Birthday of his daughter Chloe, who is my much loved goddaughter. Stem cells have helped to keep her father alive during her teenage years and those of her brother. Wonderful! :)

Sandra.

[wbthornton]

Sandie what's gets lost in the explanation is that those stem cells were his own and not from an embryo that was created then destroyed. ;)

[sandie]

James:That's why I explained that the stem cells were taken from Zane's bone marrow.

This family of four are very dear to me, as my son and I are to them, and it looks like the procedure will be done again later this year as the cancer is growing again. :)

Sandra.

[wbthornton]

Scientists find flexible stem cells in placenta (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050809/hl_nm/science_cells_dc_1)

[ICarlson99]

I wonder which "doctor" is more depressed by these types of findings, Howard Dean or Bill (post-waffle) Frist :D

[wbthornton]

I wonder which "doctor" is more depressed by these types of findings, Howard Dean or Bill (post-waffle) Frist :D
That's a good question. You know, the private sector isn't knocking down the door to finance embryonic stem cell research. That ought to tell us something. ;)

[ICarlson99]

And another non-embyonic destroying breakthrough. Progress like this is going to be a big blow to liberals who want to make embryonic stem cells a big issue....

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,166359,00.html

WASHINGTON — Harvard scientists say they have fused an adult skin cell with an embryonic stem cell in a potentially dramatic development that could lead to the creation of useful stem cells without first having to create and destroy human embryos.

Preliminary results of the groundbreaking research were disclosed Sunday evening on the Science magazine web site and the Harvard researchers arranged to discuss their findings in more detail on Monday.

They said they were able to show in their early research that the fused cell "was reprogrammed to its embryonic state."

"If future experiments indicate that this reprogrammed state is retained after removing the embryonic stem cell DNA — currently a formidable technical hurdle — the hybrid cells could theoretically be used to produce embryonic stem cells lines that are tailored to individual patients without the need to create and destroy human embryos," said a summary of the research reported on the Science site.

That could lead to creation of stem cells without having to use human eggs or make new human embryos in the process, thereby sidestepping much of the controversy over stem cell research.

The Harvard researchers used laboratory grown human embryonic stem cells — such as the ones that President Bush has already approved for use by federally funded researchers — to essentially covert a skin cell into an embryonic stem cell itself.

If a number of hurdles can be overcome in subsequent research, the new technique "may circumvent some of the logistical and societal concerns" that have hampered much of the research in this country, Chad A. Cowan, Kevin Eggan and colleagues from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute report in the Science article.

The hybrid cells created by the team "had the appearance, growth rate, and several key genetic characteristics of human embryonic cells," the summary of their work said.

"They also behaved like embryonic cells, differentiating into cells from each of the three main tissue types that form in a developing embryo. The authors conclude that human embryonic cells have the ability to reprogram adult cell chromosomes following cell fusion. "