Potent Biology: Stem Cells, Cloning and Regeneration
Ahnimus
Posts: 10,560
Come on you slackers!
Watch!
Lecture One
Understanding Embryonic Stem Cells
Douglas A. Melton, Ph.D.
During embryonic development, stem cells generate all the specialized cells that populate body tissues such as muscle, the nervous system, and blood. The term embryonic stem cells, or ES cells, is used by researchers for cells that can be isolated from early embryos, before they differentiate into specific types of cells. Depending on when they are isolated, embryonic stem cells are pluripotent-able to become virtually any type of cell-or multipotent-able to become many, but not all, types of cells. Because stem cells have the potential to generate fresh, healthy cells of nearly any type, there is interest in exploring their use to treat and cure various diseases. The societal controversy regarding human ES cells relates primarily to their derivation from very early embryos. In addition, certain stem cell lines are developed using a cloning technique called somatic cell nuclear transfer, which can generate cells that are an exact genetic match to a patient.
http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/stemcells/lectures.html
Watch!
Lecture One
Understanding Embryonic Stem Cells
Douglas A. Melton, Ph.D.
During embryonic development, stem cells generate all the specialized cells that populate body tissues such as muscle, the nervous system, and blood. The term embryonic stem cells, or ES cells, is used by researchers for cells that can be isolated from early embryos, before they differentiate into specific types of cells. Depending on when they are isolated, embryonic stem cells are pluripotent-able to become virtually any type of cell-or multipotent-able to become many, but not all, types of cells. Because stem cells have the potential to generate fresh, healthy cells of nearly any type, there is interest in exploring their use to treat and cure various diseases. The societal controversy regarding human ES cells relates primarily to their derivation from very early embryos. In addition, certain stem cell lines are developed using a cloning technique called somatic cell nuclear transfer, which can generate cells that are an exact genetic match to a patient.
http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/stemcells/lectures.html
I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
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Adult Stem Cells and Regeneration
Nadia Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Mature organisms have stem cells of various sorts, called adult stem cells. Adult stem cells supply cells that compensate for the loss of cells from normal cell death and turnover, such as the ever-dying cells of our skin, our blood, and the lining of our gut. They are also an essential source of cells for healing and regeneration in response to injury. Some animals, such as sea stars, newts, and flatworms, are capable of dramatic feats of regeneration, producing replacement limbs, eyes, or most of a body. It is an evolutionary puzzle why mammals have more limited powers of regeneration.
Researchers are interested in pinpointing where adult stem cells reside and in understanding how flexible adult stem cells are in their ability to produce divergent cells such as muscle and red blood cells. Understanding the sources and the rules for the differentiation of adult stem cells is essential for tapping their therapeutic potential. Since consenting adults can provide adult stem cells, some people think that adult stem cells may be a less controversial area of research than embryonic stem cells. (180 words)
Coaxing Embryonic Stem Cells
Douglas A. Melton, Ph.D.
There are two main approaches to using stem cells to fight human diseases: develop stem cells to produce therapeutic replacement cells and study stem cells as a model for understanding the biology of a disease. Significant progress has been made in producing stem cell lines that, for example, participate in the regeneration of damaged nervous tissue. Many human diseases, such as juvenile diabetes (type 1 diabetes), involve malfunctioning genes and environmental triggers. Usually, a specific type of cell is primarily affected by the disease, and the cellular dysfunction produces the symptoms. In juvenile diabetes, the insulin-producing islet cells of the pancreas are destroyed. Insulin is critical to the proper regulation of sugar by the body, and its absence causes the severe condition called diabetes. Researchers want to coax embryonic stem cells into becoming healthy insulin-producing cells. These cells might then be transplanted into people with diabetes to produce the insulin they lack. Researchers are also interested in producing stem cells that malfunction exactly like the diseased cells in order to understand fundamental aspects of the disease and also to test treatments.
Lecture 4
Stem Cells and the End of Aging
Nadia Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Human tissues vary in their ability to heal and regenerate. The nervous system has weak powers of regeneration, while the skin is quick to make new cells for repair. Mammalian muscle cells are intermediate in their ability to regenerate. Human muscle can regenerate in response to minor wounds and normal wear and tear, but humans will not grow a new bicep, for example, in response to amputation. The heart is the most important muscle in the body and yet has feeble regenerative capabilities. Research into the wholesale production of new replacement organs and limbs is in its infancy, but research into enhancing normal levels of regeneration is progressing rapidly. Recent discoveries concerning the location and characteristics of adult stem cells and the signals that wounded tissue produces to activate stem cells have increased our understanding of regeneration. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) is an example of an important stem cell communication molecule. If the activity of the growth factor is experimentally enhanced, muscle regeneration improves.
http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta
Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
Yea, but it sure is fun to ignorantly debate the issues, right?
http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta
Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
Why do you ask questions that you're best qualified to answer?
Slacker....
I didn't call anyone specifically a slacker, I was calling for slackers.
Likely story, you slacker...
http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta
Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
If you watched the video you'd be qualified to answer some questions too, like what totipotent stem cells are, how adult stem cells can help us to regenerate limbs, what is the name of human development on day 4. etc.. etc..
Instead of... "By the grace of God thou shalt be smote!"
Nah, I'm too much of a slacker.
http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/museum/exhibit99/images/aids.jpg
That is a cool poster fella!
Now can you please stop taunting me with this link?
I still don't have broadband! And it's killing me!! :eek:
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
You know Jeanie. You are the only person here that would actually watch it, and you can't. Lame. The rest of the goons take broadband for granted. lol.
http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta
Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
I watched the first one for about 15 minutes, but honestly found Abook's Dave Chappelle link more compelling.
That's true, why did so many people watch Abooks video on "Money as Debt" but no one will watch the videos I post?
Oh right, Dan the Man watched one...
Man, I find Chappelle funny, but I find learning shit far more fullfilling. I can't watch 8 hours of Chappelle and feel like I really accomplished anything, I just feel like I wasted most of my day. With lectures at least I learn a bunch of stuff. Then I can come on here and talk into an empty sewer. :P
hehe!
I reckon they'll never tear me away from the computer! Which pretty scary considering I've been up all night on the damn thing again anyway! :eek:
I guess being able to watch these lectures is pretty important to me.
Of course being mentally challenged as I am I'll probably need to watch the damn things over and over and I'll still feel like I'm sitting at the airport!
But stem cells fascinate me, so maybe, just maybe I might actually be able to absorb some of it. Although right now as I keep nodding off at the keyboard that seems like a ridiculous notion!
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
Caffeine helps me to stay alert during the lectures. I usually end up watching them 2 or 3 times just to soak it all in. Then I do the labs and check out more info on them as well. Then I forget 99% of it.
Alas, it's Friday and I'm preparing to get my drunk on and goof off in the gabbly, so maybe I'll watch tomorrow while I recuperate
Yes you have, you sent me the MIT OCW link, thank you once again. I've been slacking on that too. :(
Ah caffeine! The bain of my life!! Can't drink it after mid morning or it keeps me awake ALL night! And makes me hypo to boot! :eek:
My recall is not too bad once the info has gone in, it's the getting it in that's the problem. I have to go over and over stuff. If I'm reading its the same sentence 4 or 5 times. It's bloody annoying sometimes.
Like my brain has a natural aversion to anything new that requires thought and laying down of memory!
Bloody useless thing!! No wonder I'm interested in the stem cells!!
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta
Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
Don't be hatin' Ahnimus!
I had to save that thread from the second page having only one post at the time. It may depend on the time you post it and who is on at the time. Annnnd...it was a cartoon, everyone loves cartoons!
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
You know that's really clever how you understand your mind that well angelica. And know how you learn best.
Maybe mine's just overtired today.
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
i TRY to watch but a) i have the attention span of a gnat. i can barely watch an entertaining movie. or b) i'll watch under the influence of meds and totally not remember.
i really am trying to watch these...it may take a few days tho.
if it makes you feel better, i couldn't sit thru abook's links either. i'm not a goon...i'm an adhd having, overly medicated freak.
hey but toof, is that a recent thing? the attention span thing? like since you've been sick?
Because I'm sure I read somewhere about chemo affecting short term memory. And my rehab doctor told me once that people who are under medical stresses have so much going on that they can't take everything in because there's so much going on in their heads.
Well anyway, that's one thing that I do remember!!
*~You're IT Bert!~*
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta
Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!