I hope that this works out, because it doesn’t look like we’re getting off the planet any time soon, and I’d still like to see that happen while I’m on the upper side of the turf:
Researchers at Harvard and Advanced Cell Technology are reporting that they have been able to turn ordinary skin cells into stem cells by dousing them with the proteins made by four specific genes. The researchers were then able to turn the stem cells into mature cells of various tissues.
Faster, please. And note, no embryos were destroyed in the making of this research.
I hope the patent disputes mentioned at the bottom on the Reuters’ article Reason linked to do not delay the march to market. It would be a tragedy if anyone died while the inventors squabbled over the licensing fees.
It also doesn’t say whether the telomeres are refreshed by this process, but I guess that’s implied if these are true ESCs.
This research would also be ideal for gene therapy. If you could collect a few skin cells, correct a genetic disorder in the lab, convert them to iPS cells, then to whatever tissue has the problem and then inject them back in where they’re necessary, lots of problems could be solved. An example of this might be fixing brittle bone disease by correcting the gene that they’re missing. Other people could use some more lactase expressers in the gut.
Of course, don’t expect this to reported as anything other than an advance in “stem cell research,” and to be accompanied in the reports by statements implying it was made possible by Obama’s policies, even though they had nothing whatsoever to do with it.
Mmm. Such versatility and vigor in cell lines suggests caution. Let us recall the other type of cell line that is versatlle and vigorous: cancer.
Carl, it may well be that some longevity can be squeezed out of a far more amicable relationship with what is now cancer. I get the impression the human body has way overdeveloped defenses against various forms of cellular defection. For example, a number of these seemed to be geared to some sort of harsh shared destiny (we all cooperate nearly flawlessly or we all die) which would provide evolutionary stability over a period of perhaps millions of years, but not useful to a being attempting to extend their longevity.