Teams Mimic Stem Cells Using Skin Cells

Associated Press via MyWay.com ^ | June 6, 2007 | Malcolm Ritter

[RayChuang88]

In a leap forward for stem cell research, three independent teams of scientists reported Wednesday that they have produced the equivalent of embryonic stem cells in mice without the controversial destruction of embryos.

They got ordinary skin cells to behave like stem cells. If the same could be done with human cells - a big if - the procedure could lead to breakthrough medical treatments without the contentious ethical and political debates surrounding the use of embryos.

Experts were impressed by the achievement.

"I think it's one of the most exciting things that has come out about embryonic stem cells, period," said researcher Dr. Asa Abeliovich of Columbia University in New York, who didn't participate in the work. "It's very convincing that it's real."

[RayChuang88]

Another good reason why embryonic stem cell research by killing embryos is an expensive waste of time and has too many ethical issues to overcome. Besides, where are all the supposed great breakthroughs from embryonic stem cell research? (tapping feet)

[TChris]

I nominate this as the most badly crafted headline of the day.

Are there really scientists mimicking stem cells?

[billybudd]

You would’ve probably been tapping your feet at newtonian physics too. Problem is, it took a few hundred years for the benefits of that research to come forth.

[Dumb_Ox]

At a press conference Wednesday, Hochedlinger and a member of a second team said their work was not an attempt to evade the ethical objections to embryo destruction.

If one reads other accounts, this was a denial, odd in its forcefulness, that there were any ethical problems whatsoever.

[VOA]

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