Comments on: The Trouble With Lab-Created Stem Cells—and Why They Won’t Displace Embryonic Ones

By: Mmn8r

Mmn8r — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:45:42 +0000

“I’m game for anything that doesn’t harm babies/people. The question is though, if we get to the point where we can keep people alive/young, what’s going to stop the population from overwhelming the planet?”

Haven’t we done that already? ;D

No, really. We’ve already messed with natural selection to the point where it almost doesn’t exist in some places. That, plus unchecked growth in other places equals…we are overwhelming the planet.

By: TRJ

TRJ — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:45:05 +0000

What is the current status of research into stem cells derived from umbilica cord blood? If this works it would sidestep the ethical issues associated with embryonic stem cells. Would the younger age of the cell source yield better results than stem cells derived from adult cells?

By: bcruder

bcruder — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:31:37 +0000

Those who justified banning ESC because ASC was equivalent were not looking at evidence but were repeating what their preacher said. Those who justified banning ESC because iPS was equivalent were wrong for the same reason.

The blastomere process follows that same path. Couples with no obvious risk of genetic disease won’t want to take even the slightest risk by allowing extraction of a cell. Those who have no intention of implantation will donate or discard the entire embryo. No one is obligated to implant the remaining cells after extracting one. How does discarding those remaining cells differ from using the whole embryo initially? Proposing that approved cell lines come from the blastomere process is just another ban.

Religion claims that a fertilized egg has a soul and by that assumes the same rights as an adult. One cannot base a rational argument on an irrational premise. Believers are obligated to prove those embryos are “babies” before using that claim to support further argument. Gentle readers, please watch out for such invalid arguments.

By: Gretchen

Gretchen — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:55:45 +0000

It’s not time to give up on iPS cells yet.. they still have a lot of potential. I’m confident that Dr. Lanza and his team will find the source of the problem to continue moving forward with research. However, that also doesn’t mean we should cease ESC work, obviously, which has the most potential to help people with the technology and knowledge we have now.

Gretchen

By: feeed

feeed — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:24:27 +0000

Dave

IMO until humans stop dying routinely at 75yrs of age we will always be stuck on this planet. Humans need to live to 150yrs minimum. Scienctist need to live longer so they can figure out complex problems, You asked what would we do with the population? We need to get off this planet and colonize Mars. The Technology exists in theory to Terraform Mars. Create a Gigantic release of Co2 and force a dense atomosphere to grow… It will happen right now though we need to stop Alzheimers and children rotting from cancer in the interim.

feeeed loves Dr. Lanza

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:35:43 +0000

I’m game for anything that doesn’t harm babies/people. The question is though, if we get to the point where we can keep people alive/young, what’s going to stop the population from overwhelming the planet?

By: Eliza Strickland

Eliza Strickland — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:28:09 +0000

Stem Cell Blogger: I don’t think using the phrase “adult stem cells” in the headline was out of line, since induced pluripotent stem cells are often lumped together with adult stem cells in a single category (and as the alternate to embryonic cells). See for example: http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics4.asp But in the interest of absolute clarity I’ll edit the headline.

– Eliza Strickland, online news editor

By: feeed

feeed — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:48:52 +0000

This depends on your definition of ‘ethical’.

My Definition of Ethical is using the EXACT SAME IVF process to garner “ONE” Embryonic cell from an Embryo to test whether or not that embryo is healthy prior to IVF implantation which has been utilized in THOUSANDS of healthy Children all over the World. I am going to a baby shower for my friend Jamia this Saturday of whom is an IVF emnbryo recipeant whom had the EXACT same testing performed on Her healthy embryo. Of which Advanced Cell Technologys utilizes its Blastomere Process which does exactly that. TAKES ONE cell from an Embryo with out Harming or destroying the embryo to generate Stem Cells. That is my definition of “ethical”.

My definition of “stupid” is ignoring the Facts associated with this Blastomere process for political and religeous beliefs.

So what is Your beef with the Blastomere process>? Do you not think it works? Do you think Dr. Lanza is a “liar”? How many more children have to rott from cancer when we have this science here and now to save them? Should we let these IVF embryo’s be incinerated in a medical waste trash?

No good answers.

BUT, the Science is Tight. Advanced Cell Technology will receive a Patent for its Blastomere Process in 2010. ACT will achieve and FDA ok to conduct its SMD P-1/2 using its Blastomere Cell lines in 2010. and YEs No far Right Agenda will Stop the healing of Millions of Americans Anymore. EVERYONE/Majority of Americans want Stem Cell research from Embryo’s, under Bush a republican Congress majority brought two StemCell funding bills of which he veto’d both, his only two veto’s.

Its is coming and Advanced Cell Technology is leading the Way in “EthicaL” research using the technology that has produced THOUSANDS of healthy Baby’s thru out the world. PERIOD. BTW the World is NOT flat it is round.

feeed

By: Ian

Ian — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:33:32 +0000

@1, “The Science with ACT is not only ethical but it WORKS.”

This depends on your definition of ‘ethical’.

By: Katharine

Katharine — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:57:56 +0000

I support embryonic stem cell research, and I think that needs to be our first line of treatment.

At the same time, it may also be cheaper to harvest cells from such things as cervical cancers, teratomas, etc. The HeLa stem cell line is from a woman’s cervical cancer.

By: StemCellBlogger

StemCellBlogger — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 07:15:25 +0000

Time for a retraction! Your headline is completely wrong. This article is about INDUCED PLLURIPOTENT stem cells, not ADULT STEM CELLS. ADULT STEM CELLS are completely different and don’t have the problems of EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS or INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS.

Time to read STEM CELLS FOR NEWBIES!
http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/stem-cells-for-newbies/

So…
“The Trouble With Adult Stem Cells—and Why They Won’t Displace Embryonic Ones”
should read…
“The Trouble With INDUCED PLURIPOTENT Stem Cells—and Why They Won’t Displace Embryonic Ones”

http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/why-induced-pluripotent-adult-cells-wont-end-the-stem-cell-wars-newsweek-com/

By: feeed

feeed — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:49:34 +0000

When THE most well respected Stem Cell and Regenerative Researcher in the World says that iPS do not work but 20% of the time and at that iPS die at a startling faster Rate it is time to Utilize What Works. Couple this with Advanced Cell Technologys Blastomere Process of which ONLY one Cell is taken from a 5day old Embryo to create these StemCells leaving a the Embryo not harmed”which is ALMOST identical to the IVF process of Testing for a healthy embryo”. The Science with ACT is not only ethical but it WORKS. The FDA will hopefully grant the IND for ACT’s SMD for Macular Degeneration/Stargardts with in the next 6 weeks. Bring StemCell medicine from the bench to the Bedside by 2014…

feeed loves Lanza