Skin cells made to mimic stem cells

News Type: Event — Seeded on Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:50 AM EST

Article Source: msnbc.com

science, stem-cells, cloning, differentiate, ethical-debate, genetic-recipes, mend-broken-spinal-cord, ordinary-skin-cells, skin-cell-made-to-mimic-stem-cells

Seeded by ShaunV

Two research groups have found different genetic recipes to give ordinary skin cells the power to turn into virtually any kind of human tissue, just as embryonic stem cells do.

If the recipes live up to their promise, they could someday end the ethical debate over embryonic stem cell research — and usher in an era when a person's own cells could be manipulated to mend a broken spinal cord, heal a damaged heart or regenerate other failing tissues.

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{"commentId":1201996,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

The recipes detailed in Cell and Science don't require embryos at all — or even unfertilized human egg cells. Instead, the technique involves slipping a set of four genes into skin cells, in a specially prepared culture that coaxes the cells to behave like an embryonic stem cell.

{"commentId":1201996,"threadId":"178691","contentId":"1110399","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

2 votes

#1 - Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:51 AM EST

{"commentId":1202059,"authorDomain":"DrKnow"}

Dr Know

Gee, was Reagan right about this all along? Are the Dems going to give the Repubs credit for holding out until this was discovered?

{"commentId":1202059,"threadId":"178691","contentId":"1110399","authorDomain":"DrKnow"}

1 vote

#2 - Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:09 PM EST

{"commentId":1202370,"authorDomain":"talkingm"}

talking monkey

Dr Know:

Are they right about not using stem cells that would be destroyed anyways? No. But then again that's been the whole stawman argument from the religious right from day one. No one was ever going to destroy a fetus that wasn't already going to be discarded.

I'm thrilled they found a less controversial technique though so they can actually focus on curing things instead of debating morality with people who think the world is 6000 years old. :) Yay science!

{"commentId":1202370,"threadId":"178691","contentId":"1110399","authorDomain":"talkingm"}

1 vote

#3 - Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:48 PM EST

{"commentId":1202488,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

I'm thrilled they found a less controversial technique though so they can actually focus on curing things

Me too. :)

{"commentId":1202488,"threadId":"178691","contentId":"1110399","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

1 vote

#4 - Tue Nov 20, 2007 2:19 PM EST

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Human skin cells turned into stem cells	Wired News	Tue Nov 20	0
Stem Cell Breakthrough Defuses Debate	Associated Press	Tue Nov 20	31
Analysis: Hurdles Remain for Stem Cells	Associated Press	Wed Nov 21	0
Drug Firms Cool to Stem Cell Findings	Associated Press	Tue Nov 20	1
A Scientific Advance, a Political Question Mark	The Washington Post	Wed Nov 21	58

SHAUNV

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Skin cells made to mimic stem cells

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