"Mr. Smith, I'm here to collect your testicle cells..."
Posted on 10/14/2008 9:46:39 AM PDT by billorites
Cells taken from men's testicles seem as versatile as the stem cells derived from embryos, researchers reported Wednesday in what may be yet another new approach in a burgeoning scientific field.
The new type of stem cells could be useful for growing personalized replacement tissues, according to a study in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature. But because of their source, their highest promise would apply to slightly less than half the world's population: men.
Stem cells can give rise to virtually any tissue in the body and scientists believe they may offer treatments for diseases like Parkinson's and diabetes and for spinal cord injuries.
The testicular cells avoid the ethical dilemma of embryonic stem cells, which are harvested in a process that destroys the embryos. Some people, including President George W. Bush, oppose their use for ethical or religious reasons.
"The advantage these cells have in comparison to embryonic stem cells is that there is no ethical problem with these cells and that they are natural," said study lead author Thomas Skutella, a professor at the Centre for Regenerative Biology and Medicine in Tuebingen, Germany.
Using testicular cells isn't the only promising method that avoids embryos; there have been impressive experiments in reprogramming ordinary body cells into stem cells by slipping certain genes into them.
The new findings and the reprogrammed cells — which still have technical hurdles — "take some pressure off the stem cell issue," said White House science adviser Jack Marburger.
Earlier studies showed promise using so-called spermatogonial cells from the testes of mice. The new study used cells taken from biopsied tissue from 22 different men undergoing various medical treatments. The men ranged in age from 17 to 81.
Researchers found that after a few weeks of growth, the cells could differentiate into various types of cells just like those taken from embryos.
Other scientists hailed the idea as promising, but not a reason to give up on research on embryonic stem cells.
"It's exciting. We could do it for males; that leaves women without as easy a method," said stem cell scientist George Daley of Children's Hospital in Boston and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. He was not part of the new research.
Embryonic stem cells "have their own place in biology," Daley said.
Skutella said a female equivalent could be in women's egg cells, but Daley said that's unlikely because of the makeup of those cells.
Using the new findings to treat patients could take years. But Daley said the work on the cells from testes can benefit from a decade's worth of research into embryonic cells and advance at a fast pace.
He said the new research showed how similar these testicular cells are to embryonic stem cells; now science needs to see what specific differences exist because those could be important.
BALLS!
boy they got a lot of balls
Let’s hear it for ‘the boys!’
Brings new meaning to the phrase, “I’d give my left nut for....”
It’s because we men are just babies at heart.
Well I’m upper upper class high society
God’s gift to ballroom notoriety
And I always fill my ballroom
The event is never small
The social pages say I’ve got
The biggest balls of all
I’ve got big balls
I’ve got big balls
They’re such big balls
And they’re dirty big balls
And he’s got big balls
And she’s got big balls
(But we’ve got the biggest balls of them all)
And my balls are always bouncing
My ballroom always full
And everybody cums and cums again
If your name is on the guest list
No one can take you higher
Everybody says I’ve got
Great balls of fire
I’ve got big balls
Oh I’ve got big balls
And they’re such big balls
Dirty big balls
And he’s got big balls
And she’s got big balls
(But we’ve got the biggest balls of them all)
Some balls are held for charity
And some for fancy dress
But when they’re held for pleasure
They’re the balls that I like best
My balls are always bouncing
To the left and to the right
It’s my belief that my big balls
Should be held every night
We’ve got big balls
We’ve got big balls
We’ve got big balls
Dirty big balls
He’s got big balls
She’s got big balls
(But we’ve got the biggest balls of them all)
(We’ve got big balls)
(We’ve got big balls)
And I’m just itching to tell you about them
Oh we had such wonderful fun
Seafood cocktail, crabs, crayfish
(But we’ve got the biggest balls of them all)
This is no good at all for the liberal agenda.
Another purpose for men, and no babies getting killed.
"Mr. Smith, I'm here to collect your testicle cells..."
The funny thing is, the liberals are never out in droves supporting these new wonderful findings. This only proves that liberals ADORE abortion and LOVED that abortion or killing embryos led to such “wonderful things.”
I am missing the part of my brain where I would be able to understand the liberal glee for using unborn human embryos to fix their medical booboos.
I’m swangin’ in da breeze!!!
Does Hillary get a tax-deduction for her donation? And does she share this with the previous owners?
geez! i hope I never get THAT old;-)!
The volunteers in this study must be nuts.
For some reason this reminds me of the joke about the guy who gets snake bit on the penis, and the punch line is, “He said you’re gonna die.”
Bollocks!
OUCH!!!
The next time a liberal argues with you about embryonic stem cells just do a package check and say, "I got your stem cells RIGHT HERE!"
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