Human Embryonic Stem Cells

John Clark (jonkc@worldnet.att.net)
Mon, 9 Nov 1998 02:12:57 -0500

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>Scott Badger Wrote:
>where would they find stem cells on Scott Badger's body, since the
>article refered to a very narrow window of time during which these
>cells may be isolated from embryonic tissue.

Geron thinks it can convert any one of your cells back to its embryonic form. Take any human embryonic stem cell, it doesn't matter who it's from, and destroy the nucleus in it, then remove the nucleus (the part of the cell that contains the DNA) from any cell in your body and insert it into the cytoplasm of the stem cell. You end up with Scott Badger's personal embryonic stem cell. This is very similar to the technique used to clone mice that was reported a few months ago.

Incidentally, according to The New York Times Dr. Michael West who did much of the early telomere work has quit Geron and started his own company, its announced goal is to "apply telomere theory to animals". It's starting to sound a lot like Silicon Valley.

>Robert Ettinger:
>"it's a whole different story if you realize that you may not be
>just another generation in an eternal parade of generations, but
>instead the last dinosaur."

Great quote, I just wish I'd said it.

John K Clark jonkc@att.net

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