[neverdem]

It would be difficult to obtain equivalent human cells for transplantation, because they would have to come from fetuses in the first or second trimester of pregnancy.

I wonder how many comments will come from that sentence.

But Maclaren says that it may soon be possible to grow the correct retinal cells from adult stem cells or embryonic stem cells.

Versus adult stem cells or umbilical cord stem cells? Once all this stuff is figured out, watch out!

[L.N. Smithee]

It would be difficult to obtain equivalent human cells for transplantation, because they would have to come from fetuses in the first or second trimester of pregnancy. But Maclaren says that it may soon be possible to grow the correct retinal cells from adult stem cells or embryonic stem cells.

Isn't it sad that this possible breakthrough will be played down because it doesn't promote the media-driven hunger for exclusively embryonic stem cell research?

[chinche]

Why doesn't PETA protest this type of animal-abusing research? - This is just more anthro-centric cruelty toward little, blind mice! Just to see how they run.

[agere_contra]

There was an article yesterday on sucessful treatment of macular degneration with ADULT stem cells by scientists in the UK.

Other cells were also tested (e.g. mice embryo) but it was IIRC the adult stem cells growing in an adult's own eye that showed the most promise.