Hi!
Perhaps it's just me that am missing something but: if we can create
embryonic stem cells from biopsies taken from old individuals, why should
we care about preserving our cells while they're young? All the animal
cloning experiments seem to show that the genome -- at least in some cells
-- is perfectly preserved (although we still lack data for the longevity of
clones, making this a provisionary, but probably accurate, statement). I
know there is at least one company that does what you propose (they sent me
some publicity a few months ago) but I really don't see the point in it.
On the same line of reasoning -- and I think I've posted a message about
this before --, I'm still to ear a good explanation to the animal cloning
experiments on the basis of the DNA damage theory of aging (I actually
asked a few scientists working on the subject last month in Spa's Congress
but I didn't get any attractive answer).
As for mitotic misregulation as the basis of aging, that's a speculatory
conclusion. You can always argue that some upstream mechanism is regulating
the genetic machinery and creating the mitotic imbalances.
Best wishes.
>I discused various cell types you might want to preserve
>(frozen, preferably under lots of lead/concrete).
>
>GBurch1@aol.com wrote:
>>
>> Sounds like a good business opportunity . . .
>>
>
>I am moderately sure I've seen an advertisement for at least
>one company that is handling the preservation aspect. I can't
>remember the name, but I think it was in Virginia or North Carolina.
>It is a logical branch off from the sperm/egg/embryo "banking" centers.
>
>On Sun, 11 Jun 2000, Brian Atkins wrote:
>
>> Would Alcor or CI handle this? Or does anyone know of someplace that
>> could do it and store it?
>>
>They could handle the storage, I'm not sure about taking the samples.
>
>The next time I've got a chance to talk with the Kronos people,
>I'll be mention this to them as a logical extension. They
>have the doctors and are willing to put you through a lot of
>pain on their initial workups (treadmills, etc.), so going an
>extra yard to get the bone marrow/biopsy samples would probably
>be only a modest extension of the required sadism.
>
>R.
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