Human Heart Cells Working in Rat Hearts - Geron

Reuters ^ | Wed Aug 20, 8:28 AM ET

[anymouse]

Geron Corp on Wednesday said it had successfully transplanted heart muscle cells derived from human embryonic stem cells into the hearts of rats and that the human cells appeared to be dividing and forming new heart tissue in the rodents.

The Menlo Park, California-based biotech firm said the human heart cells were transplanted into healthy rats, but that other studies will test whether such transplanted human cells can help animals that have suffered heart attacks.

"These results exemplify one of the basic advantages of using human embryonic stem cell-derived cells for tissue engineering -- namely their ability to re-create the natural developmental biology of new tissue formation," Geron Chief Executive Officer Thomas Okarma said in a statement.

The company said an analysis of the mature grafted tissue indicated the researchers transplanted only human heart cells to the rats, and no other types of human tissue cells.

Geron said it had presented data from its study at a meeting of the American Heart Association.

Shares of Geron closed on Tuesday at $7.68 on the Nasdaq. They have traded in the past 52 weeks in a range between $1.41 and $9.75.

[anymouse]

Now we know what x42 meant when he said he "felt our pain." :)

[DoughtyOne]

I think there's some confusion here. I don't think Clinton was one of the same rats mentioned in this article.

[AdmSmith]

Why try on rodents (I hesitated to write RATS)similar transplant has been done on humans:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/Living/GMA030306Stem_cell_heart.html

[Sender]

But is there time to inject them all before 2004?

[LadyDoc]

this is the third or fourth time I've read where HUMAN embryos were killed and their cells worked in ANIMALS

Two questions:

First, mice have lots and lots of babies. Why weren't MOUSE embryo stem cells used?

Second, if mice got better with human embryo cells, why couldn't we use animal stem cells to cure humans.?

Answer: It's more profitable to buy dead babies from abortion clinics...