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Stem Cell Treatment To Cure the Most Common Cause of Blindness
The Times Online reports that researchers from the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London and Moorfields eye hospital have developed stem cell therapy that can treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness. They are currently moving the treatment through the regulatory approval process, and clinical trials are expected to start within two years. Quoting:
"Under the new treatment, embryonic stem cells are transformed into replicas of the missing cells. They are then placed on an artificial membrane which is inserted in the back of the retina. ... [Professor Pete Coffey, director of the London Project to Cure Blindness] said the treatment would take 'less than an hour, so it really could be considered as an outpatient procedure. We are trying to get it out as a common therapy.'
There are far fewer cells in these embryos than there are in the typical snot you pull out of your nose. I don't think they really need to be mourned. You've lost far more living human cells picking a scab.
This space available.
> Most of the medical profession believes that adult stem cells are more likely to offer cures than embryonic stem cells
Because this article is just a troll for more funding and to give Obama's recent stem cell ruling credibility. Sorry guys, truth time. Who in their right mind is going to want to take drugs the rest of their life to stop the body from rejecting the implant? Those drugs can be wicked. That is why this procedure isn't going anywhere until they find a way to do it with the patient's own cells as source material.
I know some on the left get erect at the thought of embryonic stem cells, probably because it involves dead babies[1], but it's a dead end. A small amount of good might come from it in cases like this were early research can go ahead while other teams work out the rest of the details on adult stem cells but that is the extent of it.
[1] From observing that most on the 'left' favor extreme environmentalism including wiping out a good 90% of the human population, get off on abortion, infanticide and euthanasia (volunteer and forced) it's pretty obvious they hate themselves and by extension their entire species.
And yes kids, THIS is how one does a troll. Pure Truth, yet presented in the most inflamatory way possible, is the surest way to drive folks into a blind rage.
Democrat delenda est
NO you dont,
... you have what you need, so long as you dont loose the cell line but micro-bioligists understand that.
Please read my original comment about paying attention in school, the point is simply that lots of different embryos give you lots of different genes, which is what you need to screen for cause.
Once you have found the right gene you can prevent the cell from differentiating and mass produce in vitro.
A case of a nail, 2 4 8
This is precisely what I meant about truely dumb-ass comments from lack of education, even if you need a human cell at all, since often it is easier to gene splice into another organism that is easier and quicker to grow.
The detail depends on what you are trying to do. Eg type 1 diabetes is often caused by destruction, by disease of the necessary cells, you want to replace those cells, same nerve damage; type 2 diabetes have the working cells, but faulty biochemistry and may need a drug not new cells, or a vectored gene implant, in either case you wont use whole cells, and the stem cell may not be used at all once the _process_ is understood.
The real problem is that the US has fostered the notion that any opinion, no matter how stupid, and especially if religiously based must be given a balanced hearing. Dumb is dumb! Corrupt is corrupt!
Pandering to 'your base' on cable is dishonest, and no way to build a successful society. You need to re-learn that quick and run your creationalists, intelligent-d-twats, and most TV pastors out on the rail. Else, in free fall you are soon a third world country.
Please stop with the "god" shit, there's no connection between a nonexistent deity and stem cell research.
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!