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Researchers Create First Genetically Modified Monkeys
Several readers tipped news that U.S. scientists have created 'chimeric' monkeys, made with genetic material from as many as six different genomes (abstract). This is significant because it's the first time researchers have used the technique on a primate. From the article:
"Researchers took very early stem cells, called totipotent stem cells, from separate developing embryos and basically glued them together, implanting the mixed embryos into surrogate mother monkeys. The cells — from totally different sources — didn’t fuse, but worked together in harmony, forming fully fledged, normal, healthy animals. ... The key here was the scientists’ use of totipotent cells, so named for their ability to differentiate into the totality of possible cells in an animal. A totipotent cell can give rise to a whole animal. Pluripotent stem cells, the type most frequently used in stem cell research, can differentiate into any cell in the body, but can’t become a whole animal, and can’t make other embryonic tissues like a placenta. Totipotent stem cells are only derived from the very earliest stages of a zygote, mere days after fertilization. In humans, totipotent cells differentiate into pluripotent cells after four days."
All subsequent posts are pluripotent and require this fp to proceed.
I assume since the immune system is trained up together, there aren't issues with tissue rejection? Since scientists have created a way to turn ordinary skin cells into pluripotent stem cells (via a viral gene therapy process), are there any plans to try to reach this totipotent stage as well?
Occasionally living proof of the Ballmer peak.
Did they name one of them Ceaser?
Let's set aside all religious and moral/ethical concerns and look at the practicalities. A chimp with near-human intelligence would be a tremendous asset to both the military and private economy. They are much stronger and faster than humans, so would be incredible soldiers. They can ALREADY use sign language to communicate with humans, so just imagine taking that a step further--being able to type or write messages, maybe able to mimic human spoken language.
They would make great athletic coaches, especially for gymnastic training and the like. They would be good nannies and playmates for kids, and could defend the kids from nasty people even more effectively than could a dog.
I guess that leads to the idea of chimeric dogs. Just imagine a dog smart enough to identify someone and testify against him in court. "Yes sir, that's the perpetrator. I can smell him a mile away."
it's = "it is"; its = possessive. E.g., it's flapping its wings.
http://drexfiles.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/mugato_keeper_2.jpg
I believe this is a picture of one of the scientists and one of their monkey subjects.
the Rise of the Planet of the Apes!
It seems to me that the manipulation was entirely mechanical and chemical, and that no modification of the genetic content of the cells happened at all. Which actually makes it all the more striking a result.
No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
Lies!
This is /. You're a virgin living in your parents basement.
Great, on top of global warming, nuclear war and overpopulation the establishment has to add the threat of making "The Planet Of The Apes" a reality too.
Oh well, at least I'm not allergic to nuts.
I can't wait until they can grow the cells upside down and shaking so they can work on the wings of our rocket planes while in flight.
I8-D
What would the outcome be if they mixed Totipotent cells from monkeys of different genders?
-- Let us endeavor so to live that when we pass even the undertaker shall be sorry. -- M. Twain
Behold! The six assed monkey!
Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
was there 12 monkeys?
I don't know why. I just felt like saying that.
Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
Caesar has been born!
So I guess that makes it an engineered chimera, right ?
Clearly Newt & Santorum hadn't caught the same chimp look in the way W did. http://0.tqn.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/l/7/bush_chimp.jpg
The best and brightest of a generation cut down by Zoloft.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
I mean, creating the works is one thing, but reading them...
Feel like I've heard this story before.. and it doesn't end well
I would have much rather preferred that they fused the cells of a chicken and a pig. I think chork or picken would be well received by the culinary industry. Chicken fused with tuna might even make a bigger splash. Imagine eating Chuna or Ticken straight out of a can of "Chicken of the Sea" brand chicken-tuna. Finally, the brand name for the popular canned meat would make sense. Mmmm!
I'm very traditional. I like entering a vagina with my penis. So, that high-tech crap the article is about is nothing for me.
Chimps have Vaginas. Maybe you could get one that looks like Megan Fox.
I've seen this movie.
George Taylor: A planet where apes evolved from men? There's got to be an answer. Dr. Zaius: Don't look for it, Taylor. You may not like what you find.
We play the game with the bravery of being out of range
...when you cross an owl with a bungee cord?
In other news ADM reports that these monkeys are RoundUp resistant, allowing mokey farmers to increase MYPA (monkey yield per acre).
I'm very traditional. I like entering a vagina with my penis.
I usually enter a door, but then again, I'm almost six feet tall... (And obviously, I don't leave my penis on the street most of the time.)
Ezekiel 23:20
Did anyone read the book Chromosome 6 by Robin Cook? How much can we genetically alter apes / chimps before they become people? By replacing a simple chromosome in bonobos, those animals developed human-like traits -- including the ability to create and control fire.
'Cause, ya know, if they're not open source it'll make rooting 'em to turn 'em into Android monkeys just that much harder.
I, for one, welcome our new Chimeric Monkey Overlords.
"Nobody would ever create a chimeric human"
WHEW!! Well, great, i'm glad to hear that. Let's list all the other things that 'Nobody' would ever do. The author clearly needs to read more science fiction...
I think I saw that video on vchan.org/hc
Best Slashdot Co
Does this mean we're actually headed toward planet of the apes or will I finally be able to have my cat-girl soon? (link should be SFW)
Now 12 monkeys can infect 72 different species at the same time.
Was his name Caesar?
Let's set aside all religious and moral/ethical concerns and look at the practicalities.
I can set aside religious concerns, but are you really proposing setting aside moral/ethical concerns? Would it be okay to create such a creature and have them fight our wars (whether for real or on the field)? One of the reasons people get concerned about technology and unbridled science is that all too often, moral/ethical concerns are left out of the discussion.
For example, the technology to split an atom is, in and of itself, a neutral thing. Using the technology to provide a power source versus creating a weapon of mass destruction is a moral/ethical decision. Just like the Nazis couldn't get by saying "I was only following orders," scientists can't get by ignoring the moral/ethical considerations, either (of course I do realize that statement is a moral/ethical one).
The moral/ethical implications of science and technology should not be left up to the scientist, but to society itself.
W
You can't handle the truth.
have been used forever to do genetic studies and to harvest monoclonal humanized antibodies.
It worked on the silkworms, so obviously Dr. Doom's sinister radioactive-spider genetic engineering scheme has been a success. It won't be long now before we see ...
Spider monkey, spider monkey. Doing whatever a spider can.
Look out! Here comes the spider monkey.
Can he swing from a thread?
Take a look overhead.
Spider monkey!
... It's just monkeying around. If they wanted to do something serious, they'd try to e.g. intercalate human DNA associated with e.g. language or speech centers into chimpanzee or dog DNA. My dog's English sucks, and he's a mostly border-collie and speaks better English than most dogs. Why can't they try something useful for a change?
Even when the experts all agree, they may well be mistaken. --- Bertrand Russell.
I for one welcome our new ape overlords!
this is just a tip of the iceberg unveiling to soften us up for when the REAL clone army is released to the public. first it will appear more in movies so it will soften the blow, of it will be actual aliens either revived through DNA manipulation or ones present but in hiding. perhaps the LHC has something to do with this and what revelation book talks about in finding the "key to the pit" pit = black hole opening us up to another dimension where aliens abide.
It's easy, only one line of code.
Poster did not specify the host species of the vagina he likes to penetrate. There is no reason to expect a /.'er living in a basement to prefer primate vaginas over, say, the more readily accessible canine vaginas, or - if you live in New Zealand or Wales - the vaginas of fluffy even-toed ungulates.
which is why they use kilts, so the fluffy even-toed ungulates won't hear a zipper
Exactly how much faster can these "super monkeys" type?