Human-Animal Embryos

[classicman]

We have created human-animal embryos already

Embryos containing human and animal material have been created in Britain for the first time, a month before the House of Commons votes on new laws to regulate the research.

A team at Newcastle University announced yesterday that it had successfully generated “admixed embryos” by adding human DNA to empty cow eggs in the first experiment of its kind in Britain.

The Commons is to debate the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill next month. MPs have been promised a free vote on clauses in the legislation that would permit admixed embryos. But their creation is already allowed, subject to the granting of a licence from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

The Newcastle group, led by Lyle Armstrong, was awarded one of the first two licences in January. The other went to a team at King’s College London, led by Professor Stephen Minger. The new Bill will formalise their legal status if it is passed by Parliament.
Admixed embryos are widely supported by scientists and patient groups as they provide an opportunity to produce powerful stem-cell models for investigating diseases such as Parkinson’s and diabetes, and for developing new drugs.

Their creation, however, has been opposed by some religious groups, particularly the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the head of the Catholic Church in Scotland, described the work last month as “experiments of Frankenstein proportion”.

The admixed embryos created by the Newcastle group are of a kind known as cytoplasmic hybrids, or cybrids, which are made by placing the nucleus from a human cell into an animal egg that has had its nucleus removed. The genetic material in the resulting embryos is 99.9 per cent human.

The BBC reported that the Newcastle cybrids lived for three days, and that the largest grew to contain 32 cells. The ultimate aim is to grow these for six days, and then to extract embryonic stem cells for use in research.

Wow, This is really happening. Very exciting and scary at the same time.

[LabRat]

Eh, they just put a BMW engine in a lawnmower...

When they figure out how to grow a woman's brain in a man's body, gimme a jingle.

[SteveDallas]

Originally Posted by LabRat

When they figure out how to grow a woman's brain in a man's body, gimme a jingle.

What's the point? So he can get a hard-on every time there's a shoe sale?

[TheMercenary]

Hillary Clinton was the test case.

[kerosene]

I would argue that Hillary's case was the reverse.

[Cicero]

Did anyone else ever read this book or watch the movie?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076210/

This does not bode well for England.

Well what animal was it that they used?!? I want to be on the lookout. I am sure they have decided to use a specific animal over the others....

Oh and good to see you classic!!!

[kerosene]

Originally Posted by Cicero

I want to be on the lookout.

I'll let him know as soon as I see him. *snicker*

[Cicero]

Originally Posted by case

I'll let him know as soon as I see him. *snicker*

Oh lookout, wow, that does work in more than one way. I see what you are saying case. And I do not appreciate that kind of....

[xoxoxoBruce]

How long before someone plonks one of these into a cow, or a woman, just to see what happens?

[Flint]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

How long before someone plonks one of these into a cow, or a woman, just to see what happens?

Yesterday? A year ago? I'll bet alot of things go on that don't get reported in the journals.

[Sundae]

The term Embryo is a little misleading, it's 32 cells.
I collect more than that under my fingernails every time I scratch my arse.

[BigV]

Heard on drive time radio this morning:

"Coming up, gossip, hard news, whatever we want to talk about..." Later, in a mischievous tone "What would you think...if a person...and a cow...had a baaaaby?!? (cut to commercial).

Please, people.

I understand the teasing to hook the listener through the commercial. But I don't see much more redeeming benefit for such sensationalism. [/wet blanket]

[SteveDallas]

Originally Posted by BigV

I understand the teasing to hook the listener through the commercial. But I don't see much more redeeming benefit for such sensationalism. [/wet blanket]

Well at least it wasn't a person and a sheep.. Now that would be baaaaaaad. (Sorry, somebody had to.)

Anyway, didn't they do this already? I thought the Bat Boy was a proof-of-concept.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by BigV

"What would you think...if a person...and a cow...had a baaaaby?!?

If it were proven possible, there'd be a lot of nervous farm boys.

[deadbeater]

32 cells? Isn't that in the morula stage or something? My biology is rusty.