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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."
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."
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the Rise of the Planet of the Apes!
Behold! The six assed monkey!
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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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No, it makes it less striking. Chimeras occur naturally when fraternal twin zygotes fuse at an early stage. The interesting result here isn't the production of the chimeras. There's no technical reason that we would want to create chimeras. The chimera is just proof that the stem cells they used were totipotent.
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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?
There's no technical reason that we would want to create chimeras.
Sure there is, most genetically engineered mouse models (for example) involve a chimeric step in their creation: stem cells with the desired modification are injected into 'donor' blastocysts and implanted into a host female, producing chimeras which are then bred for several generations to create homozygous offspring.
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