Hello list:
My reactions and mullings follow this news release.
..................................................................
>
> Friday February 23 9:18 PM ET
> U.S. Scientists Craft Mouse with Human Brain Cells
>
> By Andrew Quinn
>
> SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. researchers have produced
> laboratory mice with human brain cells, marking a potential step toward
> developing treatments for human brain disease like Alzheimer's
> but promising to fuel fresh debate over the evolving ethics of
> bioengineering.
>
> The research at California biotechnology company StemCells Inc.
> breaks new ground by demonstrating that human brain stem cells can
> be induced to grow within a mouse's skull, scientists said on Friday.
>
> ``We are not recreating a human brain. We're really just trying
> to understand how these stem cells can function, and how they can be
> used in the treatment of specific diseases,'' said Ann Tsukamoto,
> vice president of scientific operations at StemCells Inc.
>
> Irving Weissman, a Stanford university professor involved in the
> two-year research project, said the next step could be to produce mice
> with brains made up almost entirely of human cells -- although he said
> there would have to be a thorough ethical review before this step
> is taken.
>
> ``You would want to ask the ethicist what percentage of the
> brain would be human cells before you start worrying, and if you start
> worrying, what would you start worrying about,'' Weissman said.
>
> The California study involved isolating human stem cells in the
> laboratory and then introducing them into mice. As the mice matured,
> the human stem cells -- ``master cells'' that can develop into
> any other type of cell -- grew into a full range of specialized cells throughout
> each mouse brain.
>
> ``It looks like human cells can follow the developmental instructions
> put in by the mouse brain. They are making human components in
> what is clearly a mouse brain,'' Weissman said.
>
> The researchers believe that these mice could be used to test
> treatments for human brain diseases such as Parkinsons and Alzheimer's,
> although these tests have not yet been undertaken.
>
> Tsukamoto added that the experiment also demonstrated that StemCell Inc's
> process for isolating and developing human stem cells was
> viable, and that cell banks could be established for future transplantation into humans.
>
> ``We're of course moving this into the development phase, and looking
> at which disease indications these cells would be best used for in
> preclinical trials,'' she said.
>
> Both scientists stressed that their research, while marking a new
> breakthrough in the controversial world of stem cell research, was in no
> way aimed at blurring the lines between human and animal.
>
> But Weissman added that he had already requested a review panel
> to look at the research to determine if there may be ethical problems
> in taking the work further.
>
> ``It is not the objective to go make mice with human brains,''
> Weissman said. ``(But) it is in the domain of the ethicists, not the
> experimenters, to figure out what our limits are.''
.....................................................................
Ethics.
We've had this discussion before.
A genetically engineered Stuart Little mouse would be hard to experiment on
--
unlike regular mice who don't have much personality.
Operating on monkeys and baboons was emotionally disturbing for me,
in retrospect.
Therefor where to draw that line.
Humans are primates.
We experiment on humans too.
It is called clinical trials.
What draws the line between an operation, or vivisection, or butchery?
So perhaps some of this has to do with quality of life issues.
Is there suffering?
Is there awareness?
What rights do sentient beings have?
What is a sentient being?
What about freedom and choice?
Brings up end of life issues, like
living wills, and assisted suicides.
Ultimately, why do we tolerate warfare?
I must also reflect on why it doesn't bother me
to break up a clump of cells from a blastomere
on the bottom of a petri dish.
Obvously, it doesn't have nerves or a brain
or much of anything developed, nothing but potential.
Not yet sentient, or aware of anything, and never will be.
I believe that life begins at conception.
Yet, it is difficult to tell a mouse fetus
from a human fetus in early development.
The "ethicists" have told us
that experimenting on animals is acceptable,
but, experimenting, in the same way, on humans is not acceptable.
The Stuart Little mouse will challenge old standards of morality.
Ultimately, I feel that moral conduct
is determined by the life condition of the person
doing the experiment and whether value is created.
I pray for an end to suffering in all forms,
and, hopefully we can all get what we want
without creating more suffering.
Ray Strand
Prairie Sky Design
-----------------( on the Edge of the Prairie Abyss )---------------
when the sky is clear
the ground is visible
49/dx PD 2 yrs/40? onset/retired
