Thursday, October 13, 2005
Viable Option
Finally there is a viable option to wasting billions of dollars on dead end research that only demands more dead children and patients waiting for a cure that never comes. Ethical science makes progress despite human fallibility. The rest of this excellent article is at the link
Option to stem cells found
Option to stem cells found Pitt experts say placental cells offer palatable alternativeFriday, August 05, 2005 By Byron Spice, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
University of Pittsburgh researchers have discovered that one type of cell in the human placenta has characteristics that are strikingly similar to embryonic stem cells in their ability to regenerate a wide variety of tissues.The cells, called amniotic epithelial cells, potentially could be used to produce new liver cells to treat liver failure, or new pancreatic islet cells to cure diabetes or new neurons to treat Parkinson's disease.Unlike embryonic stem cells, which are obtained only by destroying human embryos, these cells can be extracted from the same placentas that now are routinely discarded after birth. They thus could be a non-controversial alternative to embryonic stem cells."We think it would be easier to get these to the clinic than [embryonic stem] cells," said Stephen Strom, an associate professor of pathology at the Pitt medical school.Not only do amniotic epithelial cells lack the controversy of embryonic stem cells, but they also do not generate the tumors associated with embryonic stem cells, he said. So it may be possible in some cases to simply transplant the amniotic cells to a patient, rather than to first grow the desired specialized cells in the laboratory.
Love is the only thing tough enough to outlast stupidity. Wired Al
'How can there be too many children? That is like saying there are too many flowers.' Mother Teresa.
Love is Tough Enough ¶ 5:53 PM
Option to stem cells found
Option to stem cells found Pitt experts say placental cells offer palatable alternativeFriday, August 05, 2005 By Byron Spice, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
University of Pittsburgh researchers have discovered that one type of cell in the human placenta has characteristics that are strikingly similar to embryonic stem cells in their ability to regenerate a wide variety of tissues.The cells, called amniotic epithelial cells, potentially could be used to produce new liver cells to treat liver failure, or new pancreatic islet cells to cure diabetes or new neurons to treat Parkinson's disease.Unlike embryonic stem cells, which are obtained only by destroying human embryos, these cells can be extracted from the same placentas that now are routinely discarded after birth. They thus could be a non-controversial alternative to embryonic stem cells."We think it would be easier to get these to the clinic than [embryonic stem] cells," said Stephen Strom, an associate professor of pathology at the Pitt medical school.Not only do amniotic epithelial cells lack the controversy of embryonic stem cells, but they also do not generate the tumors associated with embryonic stem cells, he said. So it may be possible in some cases to simply transplant the amniotic cells to a patient, rather than to first grow the desired specialized cells in the laboratory.
Love is the only thing tough enough to outlast stupidity. Wired Al
'How can there be too many children? That is like saying there are too many flowers.' Mother Teresa.
Love is Tough Enough ¶ 5:53 PM
