Posted on 05/26/2004 5:51:06 PM PDT by Coleus
The WSJ had an article a while back on how venture capitalists are staying away from embryonic stem cells research in droves. Why? The experiments to date have been failures or worse; they may be multipotent, but they're uncontrollable. Adult stem cell research has many successes.
It really does seem that some researchers prefer ESC precisely because it's so Faustian.
From an article that is unfortunately not available for free. I will forward the complete article to anyone who is interested.
Unexpected Potential of Adult Stem Cells
C. M. VERFAILLIE, R. SCHWARTZ, M. REYES and Y. JIANG Stem Cell Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA Address for correspondence: Dr. Catherine Verfaillie, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street S.E., MC716, Minneaplois, MN 55455. Voice: 612-625-0602; fax: 612-624-2436. verfa001@tc.umn.edu Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 996: 231-234 (2003).
Key Words: multipotent adult progenitor cells cell differentiation
We have isolated from marrow of humans, mouse, and rat, cells that we have termed multipotent adult progenitor cells or MAPCs.1-5 MAPCs appear in mesenchymal stem cell cultures after 25-35 population doublings, provided that cultures are maintained on fibronectin, not collagens or laminin, in the presence of low amounts or no fetal bovine serum, and in the presence of epidermal growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor, supplemented with leukemia inhibitor factor in mouse and rat. In addition, MAPCs are only found when cells are plated and maintained at low density, and are not allowed to grow to semi-confluence or confluence. When maintained under these conditions, MAPCs from 60% of human bone marrow have been culture-expanded for more than 50 and up to 80 population doublings, and MAPCs from mouse and rat bone marrow have been expanded for more than 80-150 population doublings. Of note, this expansion is not associated with obvious genetic instability, as cytogenetic evaluation of all human and rat cultures, and all but two subpopulations of mouse cultures have not revealed cytogenetic abnormalities, suggesting that this may not be the result of a transforming event. However, the status of most oncogenes and anti-oncogenes has not yet been evaluated. Furthermore, telomeres are apparently stable in mouse, rat, and human MAPC cultures, and telomerase is active. (emphasis is mine)
Christopher Reeve is now Lex Luthor.
Mrs VS
LOL! Good thing I checked before posting....
Thanx for the interesting info. I'm going to add it to my personal files to use for debatting or writing letters to editors.
God bless!
For the utilitarians, it doesn't count unless there is a human sacrifice.
More media bias at work! >>>
Yes, and Satan's inherently evil minions at the helm.
#1) Go to a clinic with your 'better half' and create a fertilized child embryo.
#2) Use that particular embryo for your own research and your own cure or to help others.
OPTION: If you are past the production point ask one of your children or grandchildren to provide(or be) the raw materials for your miracle cure.
This thread needs a few bumps, since it's so timely and chock full of information.
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Great post. I am going to share its points with the Republican Senate candidate.
BUMP
Next came the cytokines and growth factors. After IL-12 they have pretty much disappeared with the exception of some neutrophil and platelet growth stimulators for specific cancer patients. No magic bullet there.
Now stem-cells. Stem cell transplants have limited application in hematological cancers. Do they and will they have application in neurological and other areas of medical research?? Personally, I would not put too much hope in stem cells as the "Answer" to all our problems. I hope they help, but the reality rarely lives up to our expectations. It will require years of research to see if they can do what we hope they can do.
Please let me know if you want on or off my Pro-Life Ping List.
"..
Unless you've spent the last several years stranded on a deserted island, you've probably heard of at least some of these medical miracles. But here's what you may have missed. ...Each of the above therapies and experiments has involved cells that require no use of embryos."
Is there any counterpoint to this? Does any FReeper respectfully disagree on the merits of these facts?
If not, I continue to be astounded at the bias against the respect for unborn life in the media.
-- Joe
a ping, if you're interested.
Thanks for the ping.
Take a look at this article, it's more condemning:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1151939/posts
Thanks for the ping!
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