[gaijin]

A standard way to test is some cells that have been isolated are indeed pluri or totipotent is to inject them subcutaneously, and if you observe formation of a teratorma (that's a special kind of tumor with different cell lineages in it), then you know the cells are, in fact, stem cells.

The results in the above article? Profoundly unsurprising. They've known that FOR YEARS.

Now, I'm against using ES cells. But there is still the possibility that this research can teach about how the cell life cycle of adult cells, pattern of differentiation, etc.

[Ravi]

There's enough progress being made in medicine without the need for embryonic stem cells. This is yet another reason to tread very carefully here.

[jwalsh07]

Sounds like a good commercial for Jim Talent to run in response to Michael J Fox and Ms McCaskill.

Full disclosure: Whether ESC's promote tumors or not, and the science thus far seems to suggest just that, killing humna embryo's for utilitarian purposes crosses a line I'm not willing to travel even if it extended my life.

[palmer]

But the grafted cells started to show areas that no longer consisted of dopamine-releasing neurons, but of dividing cells that had the potential to give rise to tumors.

Even without tumor formation, the effect of injecting the cells seems to be roughly equivalent to taking a dopamine precursor drug. This is hardly the road to a "cure".

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Embryonic stem cell research causes death everywhere.

[jwalsh07]

The researchers killed the animals before they could know for sure, and said any experiments in humans would have to be done very cautiously.

Which begs the question, why? Why not keep the animals alive and observe the final result rather than make claims that the ESC's "clearly helped the rats". What kind of science is this?

[Falcon4.0]

I'm not a Doctor, but sometimes I play one when my Wife and I are alone. However, wouldn't there be an issue of tissue rejection of cells that are not your own. Thus would it not be advantageous to use your own "Stem Cells" in any treatment?

[sandbar]

>>>Steven Goldman and colleagues at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York said human stem cells injected into rat brains turned into cells that looked like early tumors. >>>

That's because the body is fighting against a FOREIGN BODY.

But I bet this won't play in a World Series Commercial break.