Stem Cells Derived from Human Clones

slashdot ^ | 5/20/05 | slashdot

[minus_273]

Wired News reports that South Korean scientists have made a dramatic breakthrough by deriving stem cells from cloned embryos of patients with spinal cord injuries. It shouldn't be long before we can expect have a set of replacement parts ready when our own wear out." From the article: "Researchers must test the cells in animals before they can try the therapy in humans. But embryonic stem-cell researchers were shocked and delighted by the advance, which many had referred to as a distant possibility until they saw this study by Woo Suk Hwang and his colleagues at Seoul National University, which appears in the May 20 issue of Science.

[minus_273]

revenge of the cloned organ harvesters!! (from space!)

[frogjerk]

It shouldn't be long before we can expect have a set of replacement parts ready when our own wear out.

I always knew we would be 100% ethical and moral when it came down to harvesting embryos...-sarcasm

[timtoews5292004]

The lead scientists name was "Woo Suk Hwang" according to the article. I'm sure he never got made fun of growing up.

[pissant]

ROFL

[taxed2death]

This poses an interesting question. Could scientists clone a being and "turn off" the genes that produce brain matter / thought and / or higher brain functions? Can they make a body with a brain stem to support the vital functions as a source of spare parts? What makes us human? Consciousness? A sense of "self"? If the scientists can make a sack of flesh and body parts with no brain waves...is this this thing human? It would not be a sentient being.

Gross, morbid, but a fascinating subject for discussion.

[timtoews5292004]

I knew that you'd get a kick out of that. seemed right up your alley when I read it.

[NYorkerInHouston]

>>This poses an interesting question. Could scientists
>>clone a being and "turn off" the genes that produce brain
>>matter / thought and / or higher brain functions? Can
>>they make a body with a brain stem to support the vital
>>functions as a source of spare parts? What makes us
>>human? Consciousness? A sense of "self"? If the
>>scientists can make a sack of flesh and body parts with
>>no brain waves...is this this thing human? It would not
>>be a sentient being.

>>Gross, morbid, but a fascinating subject for discussion.

Well that condition does exist. It's called anencephaly and its related to the failure of the anterior neuropore to close during human development. In a way its related to spina bifida though in the case of spina bifida the posterior neuropore has problems with closing. One could theoretically expose the embryo to certain chemicals during the first two weeks following fertilization to try to induce this failure- a ghastly idea but theoretically possible.