Mice Created With Human Brain Cells

pin_gween writes "Scientists have added 100,000 human brain cells to mice in an effort to create realistic models of disorders like Parkinson's Disease. Although mice are 97.5 percent genetically identical to humans and it sounds like a large number, 100,000 only represents 0.1% of the number of cells in mice brains. FTA: 'It's true that there is a huge amount of similarity, but the differences are huge,' Snyder said. 'You will never ever have a little human trapped inside a mouse or monkey's body. [...] Researchers are nevertheless beginning to bump up against what bioethicists call the "yuck factor." 'The worry is if you humanize them too much you cross certain boundaries,' said David Magnus, director of the Stanford Medical Center for Biomedical Ethics. 'But I don't think this research comes even close to that.'"

Comments

NARF!

[Noctopus]

I for one welcome our new Pinky and the Brain overlords. NARF!

42

[Anonymous Coward]

The mice were furious.

Re:42

[banuk]

only if they used Pres Bush's brain cells

Re:42

[Hognoxious]

What, both of them?

WTF?

[Tune]

I thought mice - being pan dimensional beings - were far more advanced than humans (ranked 3, just after dolphins).
This is like modding an xbox 360/ps3/whatever with a Z80 - why whould you want to do that?

I for one welcome our new Brainy Mice Overlords

[digitaldc]

'The worry is if you humanize them too much you cross certain boundaries,'

Translation: The worry is that the mice will sue for cruel & unusual punishment and civil rights violations if humanized too much.

and the first 2 mice created said...

[mahju]

"Why Brain, what are we gonna to do tomorrow night?"

"Guess... "

"Oh yeah, try to take over the world, right... "

I for one welcome...

[ocelotbob]

Yay, human-brained mice. This means that once they escape and start rampaging, scientists will have no choice but to create a race of catpeople to counter them. Of course, this will lead to revolts creating a need for dogpeople, but for a short time, I shall have my catboy! Vengance shall be mine!

The "yuck factor"

[TripMaster Monkey]

Researchers are nevertheless beginning to bump up against what bioethicists call the "yuck factor."

Everyone wants to save Hitler's brain...
but when you put it in the body of a Great White Shark,
suddenly, you've gone too far.

Professor Farnsworth

That's disgusting!!

[LaughingCoder]

Scientists have added 100,000 human brain cells to mice

Now I don't even want to touch my mouse! I guess it's back to the command line for me.

so far...

[Gravis Zero]

so just for the record, we can make super strong fearless immortal mice that can sing, regenerate body parts, sniff out landmines, and have partial human brains. scientists don't mod their computer cases, they mod their mice!

Re:97.5% genetically identical

[OldManAndTheC]

We are virtually identical to mice in every detail but stature.

Well I don't know about you, but speaking for myself, I find significant differences:

• A mouse cannot use tools. I can use tools, or at least I could, if I could ever find my toolbox.
• A mouse cannot do the New York Times Crossword Puzzle. I can, except the Sunday one - that one's pretty hard.
• Mice love cheese. I don't - it really f*cks me up.

Of course, there are also similarities:

• We are both covered with soft, downy fur.
• We are both thicker around the waist than the shoulders.
• We both scurry away in fear at the least sign of danger.
• We both get cancer if we consume 10,000 servings of NutraSweet.

You're about 50% banana.

I like to think of myself as mostly fruitcake.