Posted on 03/08/2011 12:57:25 PM PST by cryptical
Adult cells that have been reprogrammed into stem cells harbor a number of genetic mutations, some of which appear in genes that have been linked to cancer. While scientists don't yet know how this might affect the use of the cells in medicine, they say the findings show that the cells need to be studied much more extensively.
(Excerpt) Read more at technologyreview.com ...
The law of unintended consequences seems to be quite active with stem cells.
Hey, I don’t know why we don’t unleash lions on all of mankind, thereby forcing us to “evolve” wings. Wings would be cool.
Exactly but that's the true point of this isn't it? Let's get back to 'harvesting' fresh meat.
Funny thing is that adult, “reprogrammed” stem cells seem to be doing quite well while embryonic stem cell use seems to be a cancer bomb. Go figure. Is someone cooking data again?
Second study: "They found that iPS cells had more of these variations than either skin cells or embryonic stem cells did early in the reprogramming process but that cells bearing abnormalities quickly died off as the population continued to grow."
Bottom line: "Researchers say that more research is needed to understand what the findings mean for future use of these cells in therapies. "The big question is which of these changes really matter," says Jeanne Loring, director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at Scripps Research Institute. "We need to figure out which are relevant and which are just noise.""
No "setback" at all. Just normal science slogging along.
” Is someone cooking data again?”
Actually, none of the cell therapies that you are hearing about in the press are doing much. Further, there is no clear evidence from any of the clinical trials that any of these cells are differentiating into other cell types. They can fuse with other cells, and thus seem to be differentiating, but it’s not differentiation.
These cells do contain growth factors and other proteins that are probably responsible for most of the effects that have been seen in animal models.
The mutation rate for DNA has been reported by some investigators to be as high as 1000 mutations per cell per day. Most of these are corrected by the cell, but it doesn’t take much to accumulate a lot of these mutations. Luckily, the vast majority appear to be silent (but I guess it could explain democrats).
Can’t they filter through the stem-cells for ones that have made less mutations, then recreate the cell-lines with the uber-cells? Rinse and repeat?
Thought I’d read about the SAME problem with fetal stem cells. Since the gist seems to be a hit on adult stem cells, I question the research.
Like when the push was on to give shots to GIRLS only to prevent HPV when boys get it too and get cancer from it as well. Only NOW do they push for boys to get the shot as well.
Which says to me, for any clinical trials: Do the initial reprogramming, and wait for an appropriate period - equal to the time-frame after which a preponderance of the "abnormal" cells died off, in earlier tests - before using the reprogrammed cells in any human medical therapy. No?
Yes. The process here is just to create the reprogrammed cells in the first place, let alone use them for anything. Screening of the resultant cell lines for various abnormalities, toxicity, stability, etc. has always been done but they continue to find more and better ways to do this, and more stuff for which to screen.
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