We have cure for paralysis

[wacki]

We have a cure for Paralysis. The down side, it requires stem cells, and there is only one place we can get human stem cells. It's the human blastocyst (different than a fetus/embryo). Stem cells can be retrieved for the first few hours after the sperm joins with the egg, but before implantation in the womb. The human blastocyst has not developed a brain or heart yet as the cells have not differentiated into any specific type of tissue. In other words, there is no muscle tissue, no nerve tissue, no skin tissue, just a few dozen unspecialized cells. The process is simple, take an egg, and some sperm, put them in a test tube, wait an hour or two, and then collect. If done via robot, a human doesn't have to come within 5 miles of this process of creating stem cells in order for it to work.

The best thing about this is that these stem cells are immortal so they can be cultured and grown and you won't have to farm blastocysts. You simply collect a sample of a strain and grow it on a petri dish. Stem cells are immortal. Once you get one, you can make an unlimited supply of that type. The down side is the immune system is very good at detecting foreign cells. So you will need to have a large variety/collection of stem cells to do research, cure diseases, and grow replacement organs/body parts.

Right now all stem cell research is illegal except with existing cell lines. My question is do you think that collecting blastocysts is a worthy cause. Remember, the egg is mixed with a sperm in a test tube. Stem cells that can be collected from abortions/umbilical cords are not as powerful as the blastocyst stem cells. They are very good, but they are not as powerful as blastocyst stem cells. Please do not turn this into an abortion debate. My question is, is it ethical to mix a sperm and an egg in a test tube in order to save any and all lives that have immune systems compatible with that cell line ( and need replacement organs/tissue) for the rest of time? Vote via pole at top of page please.

Movie Link
Here is a movie of a cured rat. 30 seconds of the rat with injury, 30 seconds of the rat being able to walk after stem cell scaffolding.

 

[Ryoga]

I'd say it's about as ethical as abortion.

 

[wacki]

Originally posted by: Ryoga
I'd say it's about as ethical as abortion.

Then vote Yes or No. If you post a comment you can tell us why, just remember, everything happens inside a test tube, and there are no specialized cells yet.

 

[Cogman]

Its interesting Research, But I Agree it is akin to abortion. And even though the blastocyst is not yet thinking, one day it would have been able to (given time and resources). In essance it is creating a life for the sole purpose of destroying it.

I dont know, It just does not feal right, and that is a big problem with me. And yet I can see a real practical and meaningful benifit to studying it. I vote no. But this is a hard decision.

 

[wacki]

Originally posted by: Cogman
Its interesting Research, But I Agree it is akin to abortion. And even though the blastocyst is not yes thinking, one day it would have been able to (given time and resources). In essance it is creating a life for the sole purpuse of destroying it.

I dont know, It just does not feal right, and that is a big problem with me. And yet I can see a real practical and meaningful benifit to studying it. I vote no. But this is a hard decision.

Thank your being open minded, and thank you for voting.

 

[Cobalt]

The movie will not work for me. :\

 

[Ryoga]

Originally posted by: wacki

Originally posted by: Ryoga
I'd say it's about as ethical as abortion.

Then vote Yes or No. If you post a comment you can tell us why, just remember, everything happens inside a test tube, and there are no specialized cells yet.

Hm. Missed that it was a poll.

What do you mean by saying "just remember, everything happens inside a test tube, and there are no specialized cells yet"? And I'm not asking you to rephrase or explain the meaning of the statement. I was aware of that to begin with. I'm just curious as to why you felt it was important to state as such.

 

[cy7878]

first of all, I'm all for research. but you need to understand, we DON'T have a cure for paralysis YET. Stem cell research offers the POSSIBILITY to find a cure. But whether we find it or not, or when, is anybody's guess.

 

[wacki]

Originally posted by: cy7878
first of all, I'm all for research. but you need to understand, we DON'T have a cure for paralysis YET. Stem cell research offers the POSSIBILITY to find a cure. But whether we find it or not, or when, is anybody's guess.

Technically your are right as there is a difference between rats and humans. Right now we can cure rats, but it hasn't been done in humans.... yet. But I have talk to world leading experts in the field and they all seem to agree that the hurdles to overcome the difference are minor to nonexistant. But as the laws are right now, it doesn't matter, because we can't find out.

 

[wacki]

Originally posted by: Ryoga

Originally posted by: wacki

Originally posted by: Ryoga
I'd say it's about as ethical as abortion.

Then vote Yes or No. If you post a comment you can tell us why, just remember, everything happens inside a test tube, and there are no specialized cells yet.

Hm. Missed that it was a poll.

What do you mean by saying "just remember, everything happens inside a test tube, and there are no specialized cells yet"? And I'm not asking you to rephrase or explain the meaning of the statement. I was aware of that to begin with. I'm just curious as to why you felt it was important to state as such.

I do not know you, nor do I know your educational background. I simply wanted to make sure that you understood that their was no act of sex involved. The blastocyst was not harvested from a womb. And the fertilized egg had not even started growing yet, but had divided into numerous cells. Most people that are against abortion are against stem cell research because they fear that if stem cell research was approved it would allow people to argue for abortion rights. I wanted to make sure that this motive was not a factor. Also, this common thought is a myth as the stem cells that could be obtained from abortions are not as good as blastocyst cells lines. If you still think this is a form of abortion and is immoral, then I respect and thank you for you opinion. I am just curious on how many people think this is not immoral, and think cures should be developed since we are so close, if not already there.

I did not mean to express my opinion, and I feel that I have not expressed my opinion yet. I simply wanted to make sure that people understood exactly what I was asking.


full article can be found here

 

[BurnItDwn]

This is an obvious yes.

 

[jhu]

this is one issue where i think bush is just completely wrong, and his half-assed attempt to appease both sides leaves no one satisfied. we originally had about 70 cell lines worth of embryonic stem cells that were federally funded. only about 10-18 are viable now.

the argument that using embryonic stem cells is akin to abortion is not a very good one. it's actually more akin to depo-provera or an intrauterine device, which prevents the implantation of a zygote if the egg happens to be fertilized. on a side note i find it interesting that opponents of ru-486 haven't made any commotions about intrauterine devices, but i digress.

so, yes test tube creation of stem cells should be legal. on the other hand, do we really need to do that when fertility clinics are already throwing away thousands upon thousands of fertilized eggs?

 

[n0cmonkey]

This is yet another area the US is going to fall behind in. Unfortunately.

 

[n0cmonkey]

The US will always be ahead in double posts though

 

[jhu]

well, we will have full federally funded stem-cell research sometime in the near future.

 

[unipidity]

Ah, but in a few years, China will eat your double post count whole! Mwhaahh! Mwwwhaahah!!!!!

Ahem.

Ultimately, a human is, to me, defined by its response to the world, not its genetics, and certainly not its potential to one day think. I have no problem, at all, with creating anything up to hundreds of cells just to harvest stem cells etc. Even if it is solely an economic, not a scientific argument for doing so. How many blastocysts fail to implant in the endometrium, and just get 'flushed out' as it were? Many, I would imagine, and I dont consider it a tragedy, exepting the case when it stops someone concieving ad infinitum.

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: Ryoga
I'd say it's about as ethical as abortion.

would you say the same of in vitro fertility clinics?

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Cogman
Its interesting Research, But I Agree it is akin to abortion. And even though the blastocyst is not yet thinking, one day it would have been able to (given time and resources). In essance it is creating a life for the sole purpose of destroying it.

I dont know, It just does not feal right, and that is a big problem with me. And yet I can see a real practical and meaningful benifit to studying it. I vote no. But this is a hard decision.

Every time a woman menstruates, another potential person is discarded. Men flush out sperm sometimes when urinating. Thousands of possible humans there. Why not "rescue" all of them?
If there is a way of donating eggs and sperm to be used for healing those who are already living, and ailing, I say it should be used.

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: Cogman
Its interesting Research, But I Agree it is akin to abortion. And even though the blastocyst is not yet thinking, one day it would have been able to (given time and resources). In essance it is creating a life for the sole purpose of destroying it.

I dont know, It just does not feal right, and that is a big problem with me. And yet I can see a real practical and meaningful benifit to studying it. I vote no. But this is a hard decision.

Every time a woman menstruates, another potential person is discarded. Men flush out sperm sometimes when urinating. Thousands of possible humans there. Why not "rescue" all of them?
If there is a way of donating eggs and sperm to be used for healing those who are already living, and ailing, I say it should be used.

tsk tsk, clearly we should ban menstration and urination