Skin Cells, Stem Cells

4:08 pm EST November 20th, 2007 | Uncategorized | 3 Comments

If this skin cell research works, great. But I don’t think that it makes any sense to stop pursuing all avenues of research into this life-saving innovation.

Two teams of scientists have independently discovered a way to turn ordinary human skin cells into stem cells with the same characteristics as those derived from human embryos, a breakthrough that could open the door for advanced medical therapies.

If the work holds true to its promise, it would largely bypass ethical issues that have dogged research on human embryonic stem cells. It could also allow scientists to tailor the cells to specific individuals, eliminating the possibility of rejection.

The crux of the discovery, published online Tuesday by the journals Cell and Science, is a "direct reprogramming" technique that adds a cocktail of four genetic factors to run-of-the-mill human skin cells.

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3 Responses to “Skin Cells, Stem Cells”

  1. Sean D. Martin says:
    November 20, 2007 at 4:35 pm

    I wonder how long it will take for someone from the fundamentalist or right wing camps to condemn the use of skin cells on moral grounds.

    I mean, using stem cells from embryos which would otherwise be discarded to save already existing lives is a no-no, right? So certainly using skin cells for the same purpose must likewise be bad. Stands to reason.

    Getting out my stopwatch…

  2. SaveFarris says:
    November 21, 2007 at 8:21 am

    “But I don’t think that it makes any sense to stop pursuing all avenues of research.”

    Please tell me you’re just posturing. Do you REALLY believe there should be *no* ethical boundaries when it comes to medical research? That we should experiment on the poor and infirmed? That we should take organs from prisoners? That we should allow dangerous and experimental surgeries on the mentally deficient? Because that’s what you just advocated with your “all avenues of research”…

  3. midderpidge says:
    November 23, 2007 at 11:48 am

    Dishonest post from beginning to end Farris. Perhaps you are trying to blame Oliver for your own beliefs, hmmm Herr Farris?

    It’s one thing to mistakenly misinterpret what was written, or apply what Oliver said in an unintended way. However, you didn’t just take his statement out of context, you altered what he said and dishonestly posted it as a direct quote. So here’s a hearty holiday “fuck you, you lying bastard!” SO others won’t have to.

    PS. Shut the fuck up, too.