Subsidizing Questionable Science

Accuracy in Academia ^ | October 7, 2010 | Malcolm A. Kline

[Academiadotorg]

When there is no private sector push for a scientific breakthrough, maybe it is not such a breakthrough after all. “Researchers from the University of Michigan have created the first embryonic stem cell line developed in the state and the line is making news as Detroit hosts the World Stem Cell Summit,” Steven Ertelt reports on LifeNews.com. “However, a pro-life group is disappointed by the news because the obtaining of the cells came at the death of an unborn child.”

“Scientist Gary Smith, who derived the line, told the Detroit News that the establishment of the line of human embryonic cells is a ‘big step forward’ because other researchers can work with them.”

“However, he admitted it is a long way from establishing the line to curing diseases—if that ever happens because the use of embryonic stem cells in animals still causes the development of tumors and the cells are rejected by the immune system.”

“The human being who was destroyed for is or her stem cells is known as UM4-6, implying there are more people who were killed at the very earliest stages of their lives to establish the stem cell line.”

Malcolm A. Kline is the Executive Director of Accuracy in Academia.

If you would like to comment on this article, e-mail mal.kline@academia.org

[Sacajaweau]

NOTE: Embryonic stem cells are still causing tumors and the immune system rejects them.

Mother Nature says "NO".

[MetaThought]

To play Devil’s Advocate, we need to test Embyronic Stem Cells to see what they are capable of, to duplicate it with Adult Stem Cells.

[Sacajaweau]

There were some existing lines to work with...this is a NEW line.

[Yossarian]

To play Devil’s Advocate, we need to test Embyronic Stem Cells to see what they are capable of, to duplicate it with Adult Stem Cells.

What Adult Stem Cells have proven to be capable of:

Cancers:

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Brain Cancer Retinoblastoma Ovarian Cancer Skin Cancer: Merkel Cell Carcinoma Testicular Cancer Tumors abdominal organs Lymphoma Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma Hodgkin's Lymphoma Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia Cancer of the lymph nodes:     Angioimmunoblastic Lymphadenopathy Multiple Myeloma Myelodysplasia Breast Cancer

Neuroblastoma Renal Cell Carcinoma Various Solid Tumors Soft Tissue Sarcoma Ewing's Sarcoma Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis POEMS syndrome Myelofibrosis

Auto-Immune Diseases

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Diabetes Type I (Juvenile) Systemic Lupus Sjogren's Syndrome Myasthenia Autoimmune Cytopenia Scleromyxedema Scleroderma Crohn's Disease

Behcet's Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis Juvenile Arthritis Multiple Sclerosis Polychondritis Systemic Vasculitis Alopecia Universalis Buerger's Disease

Cardiovascular

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Acute Heart Damage
Chronic Coronary Artery Disease

Ocular

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Corneal regeneration

Immunodeficiencies

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Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Syndrome
X-linked Lymphoproliferative Syndrome
X-linked Hyper immunoglobulin M Syndrome

Neural Degenerative Diseases and Injuries

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Parkinson's Disease
Spinal Cord Injury
Stroke Damage

Anemias and Other Blood Conditions

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Sickle Cell Anemia Sideroblastic Anemia Aplastic Anemia Red Cell Aplasia Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia

Thalassemia Primary Amyloidosis Diamond Blackfan Anemia Fanconi's Anemia Chronic Epstein-Barr Infection

Wounds and Injuries

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Limb Gangrene
Surface Wound Healing
Jawbone Replacement
Skull Bone Repair

Other Metabolic Disorders

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Hurler's Syndrome
Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Krabbe Leukodystrophy
Osteopetrosis
Cerebral X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy

Liver Disease

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Chronic Liver Failure
Liver Cirrhosis

Bladder Disease

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End-Stage Bladder Disease

What Embryonic Stem Cells have been shown to be capable of:

Let them both be great at what they're great at.

Don't destroy the latter to get it to do the job of the former!

[pieceofthepuzzle]

“To play Devil’s Advocate, we need to test Embyronic Stem Cells to see what they are capable of, to duplicate it with Adult Stem Cells.”

Might be able to do the same with cord blood. Also, instead of trying to push differentiation of embryonic cells at this point, they should be surveying their epigenetic programming so that it can be replicated in iPS cells. This is, and has been more of a political wedge issue than a real scientific sticking point.