Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Stem Cell Breakthrough

This is a great breakthrough. 

In a major breakthrough, scientists announced Tuesday they have generated stem cells from human skin which could help in the fight against major diseases and sidestep the battle over using embryonic cells.

The discovery opens the door for promising research into using the blank-slate stem cells to test new drugs and study how diseases function without being forced to destroy embryos in the process, which has led to legal restrictions on research in the United States.

The researchers in Japan and the United States have also eliminated a major hurdle to using stem cells in treatments. The stem cells could eventually be generated with a specific patient’s genetic code, eliminating the risk that the body would reject transplanted tissues or organs.

The new method is expected to rapidly advance research in the treatment of cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, diabetes, arthritis, spinal cord injuries, strokes, burns and heart disease because scientists will have much greater access to stem cells.

The benefits of stem cells without killing people!?!?  Sign me up.

(6) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1911 hrs
Politics + Politics - General + Politics - Wisconsin + Technology

  1. We’ll see. There have been plenty of claims for “rapid advances” in the past. Stem cells come in a variety of different forms, and my guess science will continue to have use of embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells and other forms of stem cells to carry out research for many years to come.

    Posted by Michael J. Mathias on November 20, 2007 at 2049 hrs


  2. As I’ve read, this is not a treatment that will ever be allowed for use in humans, as they’ve used viruses to generate the replication.

    They should be able to study the mechanism so that maybe they can someday figure out how to do it without the viruses, though.  Not to put down the breakthrough—it sounds pretty cool—but it’s not going to stop research into using embryonic stem cells.

    The breakthrough from last week is more exciting for people more interested in cures than in blastocysts.

    Posted by folkbum on November 20, 2007 at 2140 hrs


  3. I’m all for such advances, as it might get this important research around socially conservative roadblocks.  It doesn’t change the fact, however, that such people are in my view both scientifically and ethically backward.

    Posted by scott on November 21, 2007 at 1114 hrs


  4. Scott wrote: ...both scientifically and ethically backward.

    How do you conclude that people opposed to government funding of embryonic stem cell research “scientifically” backward?

    Posted by David on November 21, 2007 at 1143 hrs


  5. While it is an advancement its not really a huge breakthrough. They don’t fully know the capabilities of the derived cells to form different cell types.  Also, if it is found that they are “fully capable stem cells like” it will be decades before its used as a therapy. 

    In reponse to folkbum, the viruses they use for this type of research are genetically designed to not be able to replicate and are ultimately simply microscopic syringes for gene delivery.  Therefore, virus could be used in the future for therapy.  In fact, its is a common theory that it will be used for gene therapy.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 21, 2007 at 1627 hrs


  6. Interesting that neither Pro-Life Wisconsin nor Wisconsin Right to Life has issued a press release heralding this new scientific advance.  It’s a shame, since both groups have spent the past decade demagoging the issue.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 23, 2007 at 0847 hrs


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