Brain tissues from Stem Cells

MrBrian

Japanese researchers make brain tissues from stem cells

TOKYO (AFP) – Japanese researchers said Thursday they had created functioning human brain tissues from stem cells, a world first that has raised new hopes for the treatment of disease.

Stem cells taken from human embryos have been used to form tissues of the cerebral cortex, the supreme control tower of the brain, according to researchers at the government-backed research institute Riken.

The tissues self-organised into four distinct zones very similar to the structure seen in human foetuses, and conducted neuro-activity such as transmitting electrical signals, the institute said.

Research on stem cells is seen as having the potential to save lives by helping to find cures for diseases such as cancer and diabetes or to replace damaged cells, tissues and organs.

The team's previous studies showed stem cells differentiated into distinct cells but until now they had never organised into functioning tissues.

"In regenerative therapy, only a limited number of diseases can be cured with simple cell transplants. Transplanting tissues could raise hopes for greater functional recovery," the institute said in a statement

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081106/ts_afp/healthsciencestemcelljapan

decides2dream

very cool!


however, you know the religious right would NEVEr want such ground-breaking research to occur in our country ya know, b/c they use stem cells from human embryos! :eek: horrors!


in all seriousness, that is amazing stuff! i fully support such research and can only imagine what can be done!

blondieblue227

I heard about something like this being use for the cure for Cerebral Palsy.
I can not of the life of me figure why that never got big press!

The Cerebral Palsy treatment used stem cells/blood from the baby’s OWN umbilical cord.

Gonzo1977

That's amazing.

Now if only we can get our shit together and realize the need for such research in this country.

blondieblue227

Gonzo1977 wrote:

That's amazing.

Now if only we can get our shit together and realize the need for such research in this country.

.......and not hide it in the closet hoping nobody will notice.

MrBrian

blondieblue227 wrote:

.......and not hide it in the closet hoping nobody will notice.

I'm not sure but what is the feeling within America about it? If they had a vote 'yes stem cells' or 'no stem cells'...are you confident that the America people would be for it enough for it to have a chance in the mainstream?

Or would they back away from it because, I dunno, it's evil?

blondieblue227

MrBrian wrote:

I'm not sure but what is the feeling within America about it? If they had a vote 'yes stem cells' or 'no stem cells'...are you confident that the America people would be for it enough for it to have a chance in the mainstream?

Or would they back away from it because, I dunno, it's evil?

How can people decide to approve it, if it’s all lumped in together and not reported on? All stem cells do not come from a fetus. (in the case of the treatment I was talking about) I feel people might assume that because the entire work with stem cells are not being reported on a national level.

There are some incredible stories out there not being reported on.

MrBrian

Right and remember the info is not really hidden, just because its not being reported as much as britney spears breakdows.

People need to search for the info themselves and become more active in acquiring knowledge. Obvioulsy the mainstream is more worried about much smaller issues.

People just waiting for other people on the tv to tell them whats going on (like if they dont see it on CNN) need stem cell brain tissue regeneration themselves, of their entire brain.

blondieblue227

i hate the media.
it can make or break whatever they choose.
i feel most people are too lazy to look anything up. sheep....the lot of em'!

but not on the moving train!

PJ_Saluki

blondieblue227 wrote:

i hate the media...

Just got off the phone with the media. They hate you too.

blondieblue227

PJ_Saluki wrote:

Just got off the phone with the media. They hate you too.

fine! they can be that way.

decides2dream

MrBrian wrote:

I'm not sure but what is the feeling within America about it? If they had a vote 'yes stem cells' or 'no stem cells'...are you confident that the America people would be for it enough for it to have a chance in the mainstream?

Or would they back away from it because, I dunno, it's evil?

of course total speculation, but my first thought is the average american would give it a 'no.' why? b/c the average american is a christian, and it seems to me that most churches teach that stem cell research is evil and wrong. yes, i know all stem cell research does not come from aborted embryos....but none the less...i think there is a LOT of misinformation out there. and when aborted embryos ARE used, well no 'good' can be allowed to come out of such an 'evil' act, etc...so sadly, i don't think we as a country are progressive enough to actually look at the big picture, and the entire issue in it's entirety. sad.

blondieblue227

decides2dream wrote:

sadly, i don't think we as a country are progressive enough to actually look at the big picture, .....

i agree.

MrBrian

Stem cell research breakthrough

Joseph Hall
Health Reporter (Jun 06, 2007)

California scientists have been able to transform adult mice cells into embryonic stem cells, a process that may promise an endless and ethical supply for human research and disease treatment.

If it works in human cells, the procedure could dispense with controversial cloning technology or the use of discarded embryos from fertility clinics.

Such human stem cells, which can grow into any type of tissue in the body, could eventually be used to create personalized replacement organs that would generate no immune response in patients needing transplants.

"It's super exciting," said Kathrin Plath, a biological chemist at UCLA's Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine and a co-lead author of the study.

"It's opened up an entire field of research. There will be so many who will find this interesting who can (work with) it," she said.

The research, being published Thursday in the inaugural issue of the peer-reviewed journal Cell Stem Cell, is being heralded as a major advance in the burgeoning field of stem cell research.

"If this holds up, I think it's quite an amazing advance," said Dr. Alan Bernstein, president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and one of the country's top stem cell researchers
---

We hands down need to work more on this. But I'm sure some people will still be against it.

MrBrian

Skin transformed into stem cells

Human skin cells have been reprogrammed by two groups of scientists to mimic embryonic stem cells with the potential to become any tissue in the body.
The breakthrough promises a plentiful new source of cells for use in research into new treatments for many diseases.

Crucially, it could mean that such research is no longer dependent on using cells from human embryos, which has proved highly controversial.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7101834.stm

decides2dream

MrBrian wrote:

Skin transformed into stem cells

Human skin cells have been reprogrammed by two groups of scientists to mimic embryonic stem cells with the potential to become any tissue in the body.
The breakthrough promises a plentiful new source of cells for use in research into new treatments for many diseases.

Crucially, it could mean that such research is no longer dependent on using cells from human embryos, which has proved highly controversial.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7101834.stm

:eek:


WOWZERS!

i definitely will read the links provided.

blondieblue227

thank you for posting that.

since it's no longer fetus cells, i'd imagine people who say it's tampering with God’s creation. :rolleyes:

Just guessing what the opposition would come up with.

decides2dream

blondieblue227 wrote:

thank you for posting that.

since it's no longer fetus cells, i'd imagine people who say it's tampering with God’s creation. :rolleyes:

Just guessing what the opposition would come up with.

'playing god' will always come into play, and sure to a certain extent...i actually do believe it's healthy. just b/c we *can* do something, doesn't always mean we *should*...and thus i think it's wise for the scientific community to pause and reflect on that before proceeding.


however, in THIS instance...it at least removes the whole stigma of aborted fetuses, and thus make it a LOT less loaded option. those who may oppose it will now have to come up with far better rationale than 'benefitting from abortion'...and that can only be seen as a POSITIVE step.


science is amazing!

MrBrian

Good point,

I'm against cloned meat and think it's wrong to not only clone animals for human consumption. But it's even worse that it has been approved that they do not have to label the cloned meat as 'cloned' and will be able to sell it to consumers as normal.

decides2dream

MrBrian wrote:

Good point,

I'm against cloned meat and think it's wrong to not only clone animals for human consumption. But it's even worse that it has been approved that they do not have to label the cloned meat as 'cloned' and will be able to sell it to consumers as normal.

:eek:
ack!



seriously, most definitely a case of 'just b/c we can doesn't mean we should.' i love science, i love all the possibility, the understanding, am a firm believer in the whole process. however, absolutely...i always think there needs to be a pause, a reassessment with new information of...ok, should we proceed? or shall we change direction....or abandon the idea entirely. we need to make choices along with experiementation and discovery.

blondieblue227

All comes back around
How can we process and determine if the public as a whole doesn’t know about it?