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Cure for Mouse Pattern Baldness?

superfearo writes "Wired News reports that scientists have found a way to grow new hair follicles on hairless mice using stem cells. Of course, these Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers hope to use this procedure to grow hair, skin, and even sebaceous glands in humans. The stem cells used in this research were not extracted from embryos, but rather from the skin of the mice. So if the same can be done with humans, this procedure can perhaps avoid any controversy."

2 of 24 comments (clear)

  1. Re:controversy by RsG · · Score: 3, Informative

    Oy, how may times will this ignorance rear it's ugly head.

    Look no-one, and I do mean no one, gets stem cells from abortions. Google it for fucks sake people! Embryonic stem cells are aquired from fertility clinics _not_ abortion clinics.

    The problem is that people associate "clinic" and "embryonic" with abortion; these clinics are for IVF, used to help couples concieve. THEY ARE THE POLAR OPPOSITE OF AN ABORTION CLINIC!!

    The stems cells in question come from the leftover fetralized embryos that don't get implanted in the mother (there are a lot of these, due to the present ineffeciency wrt IVF). No abortion takes place, since pregnancy never occured, or at least not with these embryos.

    The trouble arises from the view some pro-lifers have that "life begins at conception". If you beleive this, then fine, you have a reason to oppose stem cell research (although I disagree). But if your problem is soley with abortion, then you should educate yourself, and not simply beleive everything your told by the scientifically illiterate. Just becasue somebody shares your point of view on an issue, doesn't mean they're more informed than you are. Do your own research, and make sure you get a may people's viewpoints!

    --
    Erotic is when you use a feather. Exotic is when you use the whole chicken.
  2. Re:Real potential by MagicDude · · Score: 2, Informative

    Endothelial stem cells from the intestines are the stems cells which have the most potential of differentiating into different tissue types; they are the least differentiated/most undifferentiated stem cells that are found in adults. Follicular stem cells are already partially differentiated in that they can form the different kinds of cells found in follicles, but aren't very capable for turning into nerve tissue or whatever. That's why embrionic stem cells are so important, since they're capable of turning into every tissue found in a human.