Kathryn Aegis wrote: One possible scenario:<p>
> 1. A single cell is removed from a patient and grown in a laboratory dish.<p>
> 2. One or more genes crucial to placenta formation are disrupted.<p>
> 3. The patient's cell is fused to an egg cell whose own DNA has been
> removed, promoting cell division.<p>
> 4. An embryo-like mass of cells develops but lacks a trophoblast, the part
> of an embryo that turns into a placenta. ...<p>
> 5. Stem cells, all genetically identical to the patient's, are removed . . .<p>
>
> 6. . . . and grown into heart, nerve, bone or other replacement tissues for
> transplantation into patient....
cool! sign me up. can they grow me a new brain? funny: we've dreamed of this for years, and now that its here or will be very soon, it somehow doesnt seem real. or its just too cool to be real.
looks to me like we may be on the verge of being able to use stem cells to repair a damaged or severed spinal cord, which makes possible full-body transplants, or head transplants, if you prefer. now, steven hawking is sitting in a wheelchair over there in england somewhere. seems like he has nada to lose by attempting a body transplant, his being no good anyway. he could donate me his head, i instantly get waaay smart, then i have my head transplanted onto his body and, and... um, wait, let me think this over.
spike