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Stem Cell Therapy Causes Tumors
SpaceAdmiral writes, "Using human embryonic stem cells, researchers have cured a Parkinson's-like disease in rats. Unfortunately, the Parkinson's cure causes brain tumors." From the first article: "...10 weeks into the trial, [University of Rochester researchers] discovered brain tumours had begun to grow in every animal treated... By definition, human embryonic stem cells have the almost mythical, immortal power to grow and divide indefinitely as they become the various tissues that make up the body. As a result, scientists have always known that any stem cell therapy could result in an uncontrolled growth of cells that could give rise to cancer."
Does anybody else find it slightly disturbing that the "Related Links" section has a "Compare prices on biotech" link?
/.?
What are you trying to sell me today,
Fill in your four or five-letter word of wisdom here _ _ _ _ _.
established.
Because by the second day of incubation any cells that have undergone reversion mutation give rise to revertant colonies like rats leaving a sinking ship, then the ship sinks.
I could just imagine a pointy haired boss in a dilbert like biotech firm talking up the tumors as an extra "feature" - and make the parkinsons patients pay extra for it.
The human body is an example of really crap evolutionary programming. Horrible spagetti code with no thought to make things modular. New stuff tacked in using old variables. Functions with multiple purposes.
So when you debug one thing, something else brakes.
God was a terrible programmer. But I guess that's what you get with a tight 7 day timeframe.
Because the problem still remains--research causes cancer in rats.
Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
It's not cancer! It's the early stages of the rats turning into humans!
Oh the humanity!
Stop Global Warming!
Just say no to irreversible processes!
Did't these scientists pay attention when they were kids?
Tyrell: The facts of life. To make an alteration in the evolvment of an organic life system is fatal. A coding sequence cannot be revised once it's been established.
Roy: Why not?
Tyrell: Because by the second day of incubation, any cells that have undergone reversion mutations give rise to revertant colonies like rats leaving a sinking ship. Then the ship sinks.
Roy: What about EMS recombination.
Tyrell: We've already tried it. Ethyl methane sulfonate as an alkylating agent a potent mutagen It created a virus so lethal the subject was dead before he left the table.
Roy: Then a repressive protein that blocks the operating cells.
Tyrell: Wouldn't obstruct replication, but it does give rise to an error in replication so that the newly formed DNA strand carries the mutation and you've got a virus again. But, uh, this-- all of this is academic. You were made as well as we could make you.
That never stopped an antidepressant from reaching the market.
(in crayon)
Dear Mr. Meanie Guy,
Do be so mean. We can kill you.
"Take this object, but beware, it carries a terrible curse"
"Ooo, that's bad"
"But it comes with a free frogurt!"
"That's good"
"The frogurt is also cursed"
"That's bad"
"But you get your choice of toppings!"
"That's good"
"The toppings contain potassium benzoate..."
We should ban it immediately and never pursue beneficial medical treatments again that Jesus didn't know about.