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Using Liquid Crystals to Guide Stem Cells

An anonymous reader writes "Liquid crystals, the same phase-shifting materials used to display information on cell phones, monitors and other electronic equipment, can also be used to control the differentiation of embryonic stem cells, Wisconsin researchers say. By using the crystals to mechanically strain the cells, they can prevent the indiscriminate (and unwanted) differentiation common in embryonic stem cell research and therapy. So when you want a bone cell, say, you don't end up with one from the kidney."

4 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Lets get this out of they way by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    According to the bible, as well as the Catholic Church, the body doesn't begin life until blood flows through it. The body first has blood flowing through at approximately the 40th day, so using these extremely young blastocysts means that the stem cells aren't living people, thus we can't murder them. So we can use them.

  2. technology crossovers are funny by mrpeebles · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Makes you wonder if 100 years from now, after display technology has moved on to God-knows-what, people think LC technology primarily as some sort of biotechnology, sort of like we think of the radar device in our microwave as being primarily a cooking device, or the mirror as a safety device in cars. Then the moment is over, and you post whatever your view is on the personhood of embryonic stem cells.

  3. Re:Lets get this out of they way by blurn · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I believe the scripture reference you should use to defend your argument can be found in Leviticus 17:11. Be careful, I agree with you, but this verse (coming out of a NIV Bible) should not be streched to say something it is not. If you found anything else, in any Bible, that can prove what you are saying, please post it.

    It is really ironic, the verse I mentioned was quoted on CSI.

  4. Not always... by Upaut · · Score: 3, Interesting

    From in vitro fertilization. You can also get these cells from theraputic cloning. Take a good cloning cell (hair folicle or gut work best. Basically cells that divide most often into themselves.), take an egg cell (Or, if your really good, some studies have shown you can get adult stem cells to become a reproductive cell. Though that technology is a bit far behind to work for this example. Ten years from now -or a week, can never tell when an advancement like that will be made- then you could get as many egg cells from your own body, regardless of sex, and for a lot less pain of finding a donor and injecting her with a shitload of hormones, then plunging a harvesting needle into her abdomen... And it would be a "true" clone, with the mitotic DNA being the same.) Make a slit in egg, remove nucleus. Make a slit in donor cell, remove nucleus. Put donor nucleus in egg cell. Apply a small shock to promote healing and division. Wait a few days. Now you have perfect embrionic stem cells that are a match to your own DNA. Do this a few times to ensure you get at least one healthy sample.

    Now you can take these cells, and make new neural tissue, for treating diseases like parkinsons. Or fit into a mold for a new bladder (they managed to make this in dogs), or use the technology of the bladder example, advance it in a few years, and you could make genetically identicle livers and kidneys. Or a new pancreus, good for some insulin goodness, and help the adult onset diabeties.

    --
    3 degrees of separation from Vladimir Putin