*@$%*^!!! Judge stops federal funding of embryonic stem cell research

[Locutus]

Moreover, the empirical evidence that can be produced validates the thought that God is something created by humankind, at a time when there were no reasonable explanations for the things we know today are scientifically explainable and normal.

Now you're goin' straight ta' hell fer' that one.  That's blasphemy pure, flat out, and simple.   

[Palehorse]

Now you're goin' straight ta' hell fer' that one.  That's blasphemy pure, flat out, and simple.   

Burn Baby, Burn!

As long as the Highway to Hell doesn't lead to a Disco Inferno, it's all good! 

[followsthewolf]

If he's going to hell for that, I won't even tell you what we taught in one of our workshops for science teachers.

I'm sure, though, that I'm being scrutinized carefully, and they've tossed my wings measurements.

[Palehorse]

If he's going to hell for that, I won't even tell you what we taught in one of our workshops for science teachers.

I'm sure, though, that I'm being scrutinized carefully, and they've tossed my wings measurements.

I've got an express ticket and reservations in the sun room already,  based upon my "eternal struggle" postings. 

[LOsborne]

HH in spite of popular belief and what was spread around Bush didn't have a problem with stem cell research what he had the problem with was cloning and that is what he didn't want to spend federal dollars on.

Thank you, me, for injecting a note of reality into this histrionic brouhaha.

But, like you mentioned in an earlier post they have had much better luck with harvested stem cells which were not embryonic.  I just don't understand why they wouldn't put more money into researching non embryonic stem cells since they've had better luck with those. 

Not completely true. This is my kid's doctoral study, so I am fairly conversant in a pedestrian kind of way with the subject.

There are three problems:

1.) The embryonic strains approved by the Bush administration (which are the only ones most labs have had access to) are OLD, and are starting to mutate from too many copies. Think of that xerox of the office policies you have that was first printed twenty years ago. The copy you are using staggers down the page like it spent the night with the RMMT. Fresh strains are needed to avoid the problem of mutation.

2.) Stem cells are injected into the subject by means of a retrovirus. Evidence is accumulating that the retrovirus itself is causing new problems, including some forms of cancer. A new form of delivery is being researched. (My kid holds the part of the patent on one of these!)

3.) Cancers have stem cells. Yeah. What a bitch. All the radiation and chemo in the world won't turn the trick if you don't kill the cancer-causing stem cells. First we have to identify them. (My kid is working on this too.)

Now, so far, adult stem cell creations do not show the mutations seen in the twenty-year-old embryonic strains. However, they are not nearly as versatile as embryonic cells, and the problem with retrovirus delivery is exactly the same as that seen with embryonic cells. And the cancer-causing stem cells are still present.

I'm sorry I can't provide the links for all this stuff. Most of it is the property of the lab where my kid works. I have seen it (and I have the red eyes and headache to prove it) and, so far as this dilettante parent can tell, it holds up.

[Anne]

I wonder how umbilical cord blood would work for research. It seems to be a big thing now to store your baby's cord blood (which contain "young" stem cells).

[Palehorse]

Cord blood is rich in hematopoietic or blood stem cells and is currently being used as an experimental alternative to bone marrow transplantation. The collection process is completely non-invasive, the host-donor match required for transplantation is less stringent and cord blood has fewer mature immune cells and thus poses a lower risk of graft vs. host disease.

http://www.nationalcordbloodprogram.org/

[The Troll]

Cord blood is rich in hematopoietic or blood stem cells and is currently being used as an experimental alternative to bone marrow transplantation. The collection process is completely non-invasive, the host-donor match required for transplantation is less stringent and cord blood has fewer mature immune cells and thus poses a lower risk of graft vs. host disease.

http://www.nationalcordbloodprogram.org/

No thanks to the Rapture Christians and the, "no other way to say it" just plain dumbass and stupid Republicans resistance to modern science to stem cells research.  The research will continue in this country and more especially other countries who will profit and control the benefits of stem cell research.

  Who would have thought a spore of mold would fly through the window and land on a scientist's experiment would bring penicillin.
 
 

[Anne]

Cord blood is rich in hematopoietic or blood stem cells and is currently being used as an experimental alternative to bone marrow transplantation. The collection process is completely non-invasive, the host-donor match required for transplantation is less stringent and cord blood has fewer mature immune cells and thus poses a lower risk of graft vs. host disease.

http://www.nationalcordbloodprogram.org/

I read that same web site, what I wonder is could it be used in place of embryonic stem cells for research or would it be too mature (like adult stem cells) to produce the same results of embryonic stem cells.

[Palehorse]

I read that same web site, what I wonder is could it be used in place of embryonic stem cells for research or would it be too mature (like adult stem cells) to produce the same results of embryonic stem cells.

Since they are already mature (blood stem cells) no. . .