Don't you remember that song by Loverboy, "A Pig and an Elephant's DNA Just Won't Splice."
Posted on 09/08/2008 6:46:45 AM PDT by null and void
LONDON — British and American scientists are breeding genetically modified pigs in the hope of providing organs for transplant to humans, the project leader wrote in a newspaper Sunday.
"People needing a new heart or liver are waiting for someone else to die - usually a violent death in a traffic accident," Winston wrote in the newspaper. He said his team was "trying to modify pigs so their organs might save the lives of humans."
Working in tandem with Dr. Carol Redhead of the California Institute of Technology, Winston's team has injected human genes directly into male piglets, adding them to the animal's sperm.
He said that pigs involved in experiments had successfully produced transgenic sperm, but acknowledged that British and European laws had prevented the team from using the pigs to mate.
the pigs would be bred in Missouri.
Some scientists have previously criticized the idea of using animal organs for human transplant, saying the technique risks spreading animal viruses to humans. Winston said his research project is attempting to breed virus-free pigs.
(Excerpt) Read more at canadianpress.google.com ...
(I have the heart of a kid)...
That is an interesting question. They’ve been using pig heart valves in people for years. Wonder if religious Jews and Muslims would accept one of those?
In related news, male pigs were offended they were going to be required to breed with Reno ....
I thought most organs were electronic these days?
And PIPE organs never used pig parts, did they?
Is there some sort of keyboard musical instrument that uses pig’s bladders or something?
;^)
No idea.
I do recall one case where a man had a bit of dog bone used to repair some skull damage. His priest (pastor?) persuaded him to have it removed.
Don't you remember that song by Loverboy, "A Pig and an Elephant's DNA Just Won't Splice."
Pig’s bladders?
A pee-ano?
Jews would. It’s better to break one law on the Sabbath and live to honor the rest.
Life is precious.
Let me add, if one’s life is on the line, it would be *required* to use the pig part.
One is not allowed to starve to death just because a kosher animal isn’t available.
...to Jews and Christians.
ACORN has already registered them as Democrats...
Animals were/are regularly grown for parts for human use, ie pig heart valves, cow bone for dental use. I think the concern is with genetically modifying the animal with human genes and then using those parts and risking the creation of new viruses as described in the last paragraph. Thus, the scientist trying to create virus free pigs.
It is not obvious to me that it would be AGAINST the Law. Obviously the Law says not to EAT pork but does it have anything to say about incorporating it as part of your body?
Kosher means “Clean”, a pig is Traif “Dirty/unclean”
Your body is made in God’s image, and is therefore a sacred temple to God.
You would not desecrate a temple if there was any way to avoid it, would you?
Same reasoning forbids polluting your body by putting unclean things in it. (Eat Kosher, no tattoos, no deliberate scarification, etc.)
No. But sheep’s bladders may be used to prevent earthquakes. (/M.Python)
wasn’t this a seinfeld episode?
No idea. I think I managed to endure one episode.
Pigs are used because there is no immune response to pig parts.
Pigs have a glycoprotien on their cell membranes that provokes a very strong immunological response in humans.
Pig kidneys and livers have been used as a sort of external blood filter. After even a few treatments the patient's immune response is so rapid that the doctors marvel at how fast the organs die right before their eyes.
Pig valves only work because they are effectively tanned, they are totally dead and the surface proteins are fully denatured. They are mechanical parts, not organs
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