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Quest to Grow Human Organs Inside Pigs in Japan
BBC Science ^ | January 2, 2014 | Rupert Wingfield-Hayes

Posted on 01/07/2014 6:39:24 PM PST by lbryce

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What price progress?

But this is just the first step.

In a lab at Tokyo University Professor Hiro Nakauchi is taking the next one, and this is even more astonishing.

Prof Nakauchi takes skin cells from an adult brown rat. He then uses gene manipulation to change these adult skin cells into what are called "iPS" cells. The amazing thing about induced pluripotent stem cells is that they have many of the same characteristics as embryonic stem cells. In other words, they can develop into any part of the animal's body.

IPS cells were first created in 2006 by Japanese medical researcher Dr Shinya Yamanaka. In 2012, he won the Nobel Prize for his discovery.

*SNIP*

But there are many potential obstacles ahead. The first is that pigs and humans are only distantly related. It is one thing to get a black pig pancreas to grow inside a white pig, quite another to get a human pancreas to do the same. Prof Nakauchi is confident it can be done. He thinks it will take at least five years, but admits it could take much longer.

The other problem is getting approval. In Japan, it is illegal to make human-animal hybrids. Prof Nakauchi is pushing for a change in the law. But if that does not happen, he may have to move his research to America.

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To those in need, the reality of just advances would be seen as a godsend. To others, it is nothing short of an abomination to God. The problem is, secret experiments involving chimerical embryos with human components are probably going on at this very moment, as I understand, that are (hopefully) killed beyond a certain point in their development.

Mankind has benefited greatly from the limited advances in this field, but certainly the point at which ethical standards begin being violated is very close at hand if not already having gone beyond.

There are areas in which these advances ethically overlap that of abortion methodologies.

Certainly a dilemma for the ages.

1 posted on 01/07/2014 6:39:24 PM PST by lbryce
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To: lbryce

If the Japanese can make square watermelons, they can reproduce human organs.


2 posted on 01/07/2014 6:41:21 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Obama is very angry and will get to the bottom of it.)
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To: lbryce

Don’t think playing around in God chemistry set is a good idea.
Thing is, if this was developed only the ultra rich and other elites would reap the benefits of such advancements.
Anyone think a regular person on ACA would ever get a needed organ??? I think not


3 posted on 01/07/2014 6:55:32 PM PST by 12th_Monkey (In an alternate universe Obama still dips ice cream)
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To: lbryce
Grow human organs inside pigs? Don't liberals already do this naturally?


4 posted on 01/07/2014 6:58:36 PM PST by GrandJediMasterYoda (Hitlery: Incarnation of evil.)
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To: 12th_Monkey

God also gave us the minds to conceive of possibilities like this. I’m not buying the God’s chemistry argument, since we’re talking about growing body parts, not people! So unless there is some other ethical basis for stopping this, I’d say it’s a good idea.


5 posted on 01/07/2014 7:04:55 PM PST by zencycler
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To: lbryce

I can’t wait until some deathly ill Moslem is faced with a life and death decision . . . “Do I die of allow something that came out of a pig to extend my Life?”

They will probably accept the transplant and then blow up the doctor for touching pigs.


6 posted on 01/07/2014 7:12:54 PM PST by Pilgrim's Progress (http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/BYTOPICS/tabid/335/Default.aspx)
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To: zencycler

I’m concerned because the ability for human/animal virus crossover, especially with swine. This could be pretty hugh and series in the future.


7 posted on 01/07/2014 7:14:34 PM PST by Theoria (End Socialism : No more GOP and Dem candidates)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

“If the Japanese can make square watermelons, they can reproduce human organs.”


http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-a-Square-Watermelon


8 posted on 01/07/2014 7:37:38 PM PST by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
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To: zencycler

I can go either way on the subject, but will the successful byproduct of this be accessed by the regular Joe? Probably not.
Thats where I have a problem with it.


9 posted on 01/07/2014 8:30:36 PM PST by 12th_Monkey (In an alternate universe Obama still dips ice cream)
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To: 12th_Monkey; zencycler
Don’t think playing around in God chemistry set is a good idea.

It's explicitly permitted:

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

For what purpose?

And you, be you fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

Anyone think a regular person on ACA would ever get a needed organ??? I think not

It's certainly easier to get a genetically compatible organ from a domestic pig rather than a random, barely compatible organ from a human donor. Who is going to value his kidney more, a human or a pig?

10 posted on 01/07/2014 8:37:11 PM PST by Greysard
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To: lbryce

Ghost in the Shell did it over 10 years ago...

You wanna see the future or a possible future watch: Ghost in the Shell Stand Along Complex.

Warning it is a bit weird: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTc_ZJ1Hpks

11 posted on 01/07/2014 8:42:52 PM PST by GraceG
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To: lbryce

Rather Morbid.
Hey, that would be a great screen name!


12 posted on 01/07/2014 8:44:32 PM PST by right way right (What's it gonna take? (guillotines?))
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To: Pilgrim's Progress

Southern humorist Lewis Grizzard had a heart valve replacement done with a pig’s heart valve. This was around 3 decades ago, I don’t know if that is still done. He would joke that after the operation, any time he was near a barbecue restaurant he’d get watery-eyed.


13 posted on 01/07/2014 8:48:05 PM PST by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda
Next time use Instant Rimshot


Click Here:Make Sure Your Speakers Are On:Check Volume:Click on Circle:Instant Rimshot

14 posted on 01/07/2014 9:16:57 PM PST by lbryce (Obama:The Worst is Yet To Come)
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To: 12th_Monkey
...Anyone think a regular person on ACA would ever get a needed organ??? I think not.

Certainly not the first one, the second one, or even in the first five years.

BUT, in my lifetime, and probably in yours, we have gone from cosmetic surgery being only available to the extremely wealthy to a point where the average man or woman is able to finance it on a credit card. Breast implants and nose jobs are available to the average working woman today.

Not that long ago, laser vision correction was the exclusive province of the very wealthy. Today I can put it on a credit card, and have it scheduled for next week.

15 years ago, my best friend had a liver transplant. He had a good job and an upper middle class income up until about 2 years before the surgery. At the time of the surgery he had almost no money, no job, and no prospects for the future. He still got the transplant.

The reality is that the desperate wealthy are the experimental subjects for the rest of us. The very first operations are usually much less successful than the later ones, which ARE available to the common man and woman.

15 posted on 01/07/2014 9:22:08 PM PST by CurlyDave
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To: right way right

If you are inferring that I change my user name to ‘Rather Morbid’ simply because I posted an article that discusses an issue that will one day affect everyone in one way or another, I must say, I am indeed offended.


16 posted on 01/07/2014 9:39:09 PM PST by lbryce (Obama:The Worst is Yet To Come)
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To: 12th_Monkey; Greysard; Theoria
I can go either way on the subject, but will the successful byproduct of this be accessed by the regular Joe? Probably not.

But that argument could be used with regard to any R&D to develop some new medical product or process. For that matter, why support R&D aimed at private space travel if it's only going to be used by the rich. See what I mean?

Theoria, re animal viruses, sure, but I'm sure they can put in safeguards like they do for those who sell bacon and ham.
17 posted on 01/08/2014 12:17:43 AM PST by zencycler
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To: lbryce; right way right
If you are inferring that I change my user name to ‘Rather Morbid’ simply because I posted an article that discusses an issue that will one day affect everyone in one way or another, I must say, I am indeed offended.

So make up your mind already, are you changing your screen name to "Rather Morbid" or "Indeed Offended".

:)
18 posted on 01/08/2014 12:23:22 AM PST by zencycler
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To: lbryce; right way right

BTW, forgive me being a bit of a Grammar Nazi, but he would be implying - inferring is what you did when you read his post.


19 posted on 01/08/2014 12:26:17 AM PST by zencycler
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To: zencycler
Damm. Why do I attract all the creepy ones? H'mm. I wonder when Free Republic will finally get to implement the ability to block specific posters? I'm sure it would be a popular feature. I'll jump start the project by contributing the first $100 in addition to my regular dues and FR can charge what the traffic will bear for those that want to opt in. I'd say the success of blocking the likes of you and the other guy 'right way wrong' or is it 'wrong way wrong' who calls anything that requires an IQ above 72 to understand, 'morbid', would probably self-finance FR by itself.
20 posted on 01/08/2014 12:38:49 AM PST by lbryce (Obama:The Worst is Yet To Come)
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