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Scientists Grow Human Thymus From Stem Cells
knight_23 writes: "The Herald
Sun reports
that Australian researchers have grown a functioning thymus from stem cells. The
thymus is a small organ that is critical to the immune system. Human trials could
begin within two years."
Cool! Maybe I'll live long enough to get my own new heart!
-- Cheers!
Will that new liver/lungs I wanted for christmas be plug and play compliant?
Linux is dead.
LU
Grow John Bobbitt a replacement penis?
Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. I just hope we don't end up with giant killer thymuses (thymi? nah) rampaging through downtown Cleveland. Again.
"Destroy science and religion. Science would re-emerge exactly the same; but not religion." - Penn Jillette, paraphrased
Come back and tell me when they can grow a Shakey's Pizza
Help the scientists free the world from the evil curse of the dracula
quote:
"The thymus produces, educates and distributes special white cells called T lymphocytes (T-cells) which help to control the immune system and fight infection.
But T-cells are destroyed when cancer patients undergo chemotherapy and also by the AIDS virus. The cells are also suppressed in people who have had organ transplants."
this is a significant problem that is one of the biggest factors leading to disease in immunocompromised patients. the reason why they're also suppressed in patients with organ transplants is that they require immunosuppresant therapy, so that they own body doesn't reject the donor organ.
in a nutshell, your body doesn't like non-self things. if there's a non-self thing in your system, say, someone else's liver, your immune system will flip out and demonstrate Real Ultimate Power.
what's needed is some sort of component that can be introduced into the body that can aid the immune system intelligently. something that resists destruction by chemotherapy, and something that is "smart" enough to know what to attack, and what to leave alone. T-cells don't do this.
nanotechnology offers this. i know it's going to be years from now, but i hope that scientists will be able to shrink Mr. T into an injectable form. These Mr. T-cells will seek out and berate questionable cells and foreign bodies and beat them down, if necessary.
some genetic work may be needed to strengthen its intelligence such that the Mr. T-cells don't kill everything in sight.
"what's all this jibba-jabba bout chemo?"
"i pity the immune system who ain't got no T."
No, but with a few of these in vitro-grown thymuses (thymii?) implanted in your body, you'll develop a Wolverine-like super immune system and live to be a bitter, violent 150-year old amnesiac super hero.
Freedom: "I won't!"
just like Green Day's "Minority"
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I, for one, certainly hope we are doing the right thing and using unborn humans for this research. Why? Because it makes goofy red-faced religious people apoplectic with rage...rage borne of repressed self-loathing caused by the relentless fondlings of their trusted local clergy when they were but innocent youths.
Go science!
Think of the commercal uses, Pineal gland extract sales to Vegas Gamblers and cheap pure adrenochrome. man, just think now we don't have to kill people just for some. ****
Sorry about the writing. Robot fingers, you know? Cliff Steele in DOOM PATROL #23
The world doesn't need a fountain of youth.
What we need is a fountain of SMART.
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I don't know about this. The immune system is a complicated beast. It involves tens of organs, hundreds of enzymes, and thousands of cells, all acting in harmony to maintain the health of the whole. You can't just throw thymuses at the problem and expect it to go away. We need to look for a more holistic solution, attacking the root problem rather than patching the symptoms.
Karma: Good (despite my invention of the Karma: sig)
no
but I laughed after 5 words
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The thymus is a small organ that is critical to the immune system. Human trials could begin within two years.
Human trials of what? An immune system? So the un-authorized trials of billions of people over the last hundred thousand years are invalid (pun intended)?
In any case, I definitely agree; this "immune system" scientists have been proposing definitely needs more clinical research before we can allow one to be used on real people.
By the way, exactly who owns the patent on it?
until they can grow my wife larger breasts.
Choke on the thymus?
Heh I remember the good old days when all he choked on was pretzels and vowels.
Grow John Bobbitt a replacement penis?
Okay, I'll bite. (Actually, I don't bite.)
Forget about replacements. How about spares? Or extras? You know, redundancy. Or maybe just additional size?
Or maybe now all those SPAM messages will come true!
I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.