Scientists Give Human Organs to Lamb

TK Interior writes "Myrtle Beach Online reports the existence of a lamb-human chimera-- a blend of two different species. Not only has a lamb been given a human liver and heart, but mice are sporting human brain cells. At what level is a chimera 'too' human? Where do you draw the line between human and animal? How will this affect evolution?"

Comments

Goat Sheep

[CGP314]

In science, an animal is a chimera if the cells throughout the animal are from two different animals. This is accomplished by mixing the zygotes (see the geep). You don't get a chimera through organ transplant.


-Colin

Re:Too human?

[RichDice]

I think this is an interesting take on things, but I have to ask, does this mean that pigs and fowl -- as is -- are "too human"? Diseases from these jump over to the human populations in SE Asia, and then to the rest of the world, all the time. They're called this year's new strain of flu.

Cheers,
Richard

Re:Evolution

[Ralph Yarro]

I didn't say the behavious of birds didn't arise from evolution, only that it doesn't effect evolution.

OF COURSE it affects evolution. It's part of the environment that the chicks are born into.

Scenario as outlined so far: Birds lay eggs. Eggs hatch. Parents feed offspring. Parents eject less viable offspring, enhancing the food and other resources devoted to the more viable offspring, and thus enhancing their chances of survival.

How does can you say that this doesn't affect evolution? By your standards the parent birds are interfering in the process.

Re:You don't draw the line...

[efatapo]

Well, you may have passed your high school biology class (and I stress may) but you certainly haven't followed that through with upper level classes.

Although humans could technically breed with sheep (and living near Wales, I should know...), the offspring would be sterile...

Technically, no they couldn't. The sperm-egg recognition factors (proteins that stick out of the egg) have specific receptors on the sperm. Most animals will not recognize the receptor-ligand interaction of other animals. Additionally, the egg secretes molecules that the sperm uses to find the egg and these are also not conserved between species.

Additionally, I'll let the other posters explain to you the many many differences that separate humans from animals. Sorry bud, but you're way off on this argument. There's a lot more to life than biology when it comes to distinguising animals and humans. Not my field though...biochemistry is.

Re:Too human?

[sosegumu]

This is the problem: The Law of Unintended Consequences. As complexity of an endeavor increases so do the amount of unintended consequences.

I'm not saying that there aren't compelling reasons for pursuing this type of thing, I'm just saying that the downside risk is just too great. Like any other great catastrophe, this potential one would come from an unforeseen unknown/error.

Re:I don't like it.

[double-oh three]

The fuller quote is:
" 1. Whatever goes on two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes on four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
7. All animals are equal. "

After a few revisions it ends up as; "
1. "Four legs good, two legs better!"
2. No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets.
3. No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.
4. No animal shall kill any other animal without cause.
5. All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.