Scientists create early stage model of human embryos from skin cells

[Sankari]

We live in interesting times.

Scientists have created a model of human embryos from skin cells, in what is being hailed as a breakthrough in the study of infertility but has also raised serious ethical questions.

An international team, led by researchers from Monash University in Melbourne, was able to reprogram skin cells into three-dimensional structures akin to the early stages of human embryos.

Lead researcher Jose Polo said the development would help research that previously required an embryo derived from an egg and sperm.

"It will allow us to study the early days of human development without using human embryos, and it will allow us to study many cases of infertility and, for example, why many miscarriages happen within the first two weeks of pregnancy," he said.

(Source).

 

[Fubsy]

Hang on, isn't this like those alien things we grew in eggs as kids?

 

[RxR]

So where do i send my bits to get cloned? And wots the $cost.

 

[jsmoke]

I thought we already did cloning, what was dolly the sheep?

Do you have a breakdown?

 

[bJN]

I thought we already did cloning, what was dolly the sheep?

Do you have a breakdown?

The difference is this is seemingly creating a (potentially) viable embryo from nothing more than skin cells; whereas traditional cloning techniques still require a viable embryo to start with.

It's very interesting work and progress, but definitely raises all sorts of moral and ethical questions and discussions.

 

[Feek]

So where do i send my bits to get cloned? And wots the $cost.

I'm still hoping that every person who has had a blood transfusion using blood I've donated will one day activate and become a clone/henchman.

 

[Kelt]

Call me when I can have a new body grown to my specs and have my brain transplanted into it, along with BUD.

 

[Yaayuh!]

Scientists have created a model of human embryos from skin cells, in what is being hailed as a breakthrough in the study of infertility but has also raised serious ethical questions.

I wise man once said:

Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should...

 

[Hotwired]

More like its raised some labelling issues.

The not-an-embryo will be given a not-an-embryo label and work will continue. Label doesn't exist yet.

 

[FoxEye]

Call me when I can have a new body grown to my specs and have my brain transplanted into it, along with BUD.

Call me when catgirls are real

 

[Randomface74]

Could have sworn human cloning was banned.

 

[Rannoch]

I thought we already did cloning, what was dolly the sheep?

Do you have a breakdown?

They did clone a sheep, or two. I did some work there, there looked like there was a lot of Dolly's in the pen.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Cool.