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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?
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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.
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?
Behold! The six assed monkey!
Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
Who cares? I just want to know of any of them have four asses.
Mixed-gender chimeras happen in real life. In general it's not a huge problem for the organism. One part of the animal contains the sex organs, and those organs are appropriate for the genes in that part. The hormones are often wacky, of course. Yes, you can get hermaphrodites this way.
You may be under the impression that a chimera is a homogenous mix of cells from different gene lines. Actually, the gene lines usually occur in 'clumps' throughout the organism. The right arm might be all one gene line, while the torso is another, and the left arm yet a third. The clump around the lower abdomen will determine which sex organs develop.
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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
Depends how you define 'gender.' Do you want an organism that is genetically male but anatomically female, or vice versa? That's easily done, certainly in any species that uses the XY chromosome system like humans. If no scientist has done it yet, it is only because there is no reason to. One tiny little genetic change to disable the TDF gene and you get a genetically male female, or one tiny adjustment to hormone levels in utero for a genetically female male. Humans don't start to develop gender-specific features until well into the fetus stage - they all start developing as a female. That is why men have nipples.
Come on /. minions. Five whole minutes from the post of the story to the first post referencing Planet of the Apes. That is just sloppy.
Is buying a Harley Davidson as your first motorcycle since you were 16 at age 49 a midlife crisis issue?
Well, TDF may be the only gene that determines gender, it's certainly not the only thing that determines how a fetus develops. The hormonal environment in the womb also has a huge effect, and seems to have a significant impact on sexual orientation as well as physiology. IANA biologist, but I suspect that the number of "natural" hermaphrodites resulting from chimeric mergers is vanishingly small.
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'Cause, ya know, if they're not open source it'll make rooting 'em to turn 'em into Android monkeys just that much harder.
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.