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Stem-Cell-Like Cells Produced From Skin
MikShapi writes "Skin cells can now be turned into something resembling stem cells. A genetic modification to four genes using a viral vector reverses differentiating, making the cells revert to a stem-cell state, capable for becoming any other cell in the body. The researchers are calling them 'iPS cells' or 'induced pluripotent stem cells.' In their experiments, iPS cells in the lab turned into nerve cells, heart muscle, and other tissues. The research was published in Cell and Nature by teams from the universities of Kyoto and Wisconsin. The article notes that if the new method proves successful, 'we can disconnect the whole stem cell debate from the culture war, from battles over embryo politics and abortion rights.' And, should this technique be adopted, stem cells will henceforth be abundant, easier and cheaper to come by for research and therapeutic purposes."
It is in Science.
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1151526
Here's hoping it works, the less controversial science is the more likely projects will get funded for it. Just look at cloning in the US.
As long as the skin cells are not taken through a form that could be considered a viable human, I think this should end the ethical problems with stem cells nicely.
The issue people have with stem cell research is not stem cells per se, but that the harvesting of embryonic stem cells results in the destruction of a viable human.
Remember, religious people haven't had issues with adult stem cell research -- which this is. It's only embryonic stem cell research and SCNT processes which result in a viable human that people take ethical issues with.
If this can directly transform a skin cell into heart cells or whatever without moving through an "embryonic" state, then it's really the best of both worlds.
I'm pretty sure that story is satirical.
Those who fail to understand communication protocols, are doomed to repeat them over port 80.
Also from the site:
# Bush Bans Growing Skin, Baffles Scientists
# UK Donates 15M Private Records to Help Bolster Russian Economy
# The Long Tail of Sexy
# Apple Using IMEI Number to Prolong Your Life
# Rainbow Rights Activists Decry Prism Cruelty
# "Most Dangerous Cities" Go On Attack, Kill 5
This is why I don't like the "mod it informative instead of funny because funny doesn't give karma" bit. It's a humor blog and a damn hilarious one at that.
One problem with these techniques is that they use lentiviruses to deliver these genes. The lentiviral genome integrates into the host which could pose the threat of integration into a tumor suppressor gene or into another critical gene. Additionally, despite measures taken to prevent this, some studies have found that these integrants (proviruses) may be packaged into another virus if you're subsequently infected with a wild lentivirus (ie HIV), creating stem cell inducing viruses (which can't replicate, but can infect other cells).
Having an extra copy of these genes might also pose problems for normal differentiation and differentiated cell function. They need to find a way to excise the provirus after the genes are expressed and reprogram the cell. Or, better yet, activate the endogenous copies of these genes in skin cells, leading to reprogramming without needing to deliver exogenous copies. Still, even if they can't be used in therapies yet, research using them could lead to a lot of useful data.
Bush was the first president in history to authorize funding of stem cell research.
This is really a questionable statement. People had been getting grant money to do embryonic stem research well before Bush became president. He became the first to create a specific category of NIH funding towards stem cell research, but that was with the major caveat that you could only use existing stem cell lines which in effect froze embryonic stem cell research in the US and set it back 5 years. It's akin to setting aside NSF funds for space exploration research but then saying you can only use Legos to do it.