But wait, there's a catch
Posted 10.05.2011 at 3:00 pm
15 Comments
Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Vojtech.dostal via Wikimedia
Potentially big stem cell news out of the New York Stem Cell Foundation Laboratory today in Nature, though in our experience it’s always good to temper one’s expectations when it comes to these sorts of things. After all, we’ve thought we cracked the code on embryonic stem cell cloning technology more than once, only to find this kind of biology is much more difficult and complex than originally thought. Nonetheless, researchers have reprogrammed an adult human egg to an embryonic state and used it to create a self-reproducing embryonic stem cell line. And that’s a big deal.
But it’s not the holy grail of stem cell research. The cell line they created doesn’t produce true clones containing perfect copies of the donor’s DNA, and therefore are more or less clinically ineffective. But the development does represent a step forward for the field, and answers some important questions plaguing stem cell science.
Related Articles
Tags
Science, Clay Dillow, cloning, dna, embryonic stem cells, genetics, health, medicine, stem cell research, stem cellsUsually, this process fails. Cultures stop developing after a division or two. So the NY Stem Cell team went looking for the root cause of failure. Through a series of experiments they found that whatever the problem is, it’s introduced during the removal of the egg’s native single chromosome DNA. So they did what most of us do--they skipped a step.
They just left the native DNA in there and inserted the donor DNA alongside it. The reprogramming worked, and they produced an embryo that developed up to what’s known as the blastocyst stage, where the culture contains nearly 100 cells. At this point, stem cells can be extracted from the batch.
Of course, there’s still the problem of the extra set of chromosomes rattling around in there. This makes the stem cells incompatible with the DNA donor’s tissue, so from a clinical standpoint they are roughly worthless. But from a research standpoint, a step forward is a step forward. With the problem isolated, they are now looking at new approaches to remove the native DNA from the egg that won’t cause the hiccup that halts cell division. That could take awhile, but at least now we think we’re moving in the right direction.
[Nature]
15 Comments
To comment, please Login.
Popular Tags
Science
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 2013: American Energy Independence
Five amazing, clean technologies that will set us free, in this month's energy-focused issue. Also: how to build a better bomb detector, the robotic toys that are raising your children, a human catapult, the world's smallest arcade, and much more.
Popular on Popsci
Most Commented
Science
- Scientists Create First Cloned Human Embryo
- Dear Schools: Stop Treating Science-Curious Kids Like Criminals
- State Drops Charges Against High School Student Arrested For Science Experiment
- Mexican Cartels Control Pot Farms As Far North As Washington State
- Buzz Aldrin Wants To Send People On A One-Way Trip To Mars
- Giving White People The Illusion Of Darker Skin Makes Them Less Racist
- Space Tourism's Black Carbon Problem
- What Modern Humans Can Learn From The Neanderthals' Extinction
- Untouched For The Last Billion Years, Water In Canadian Mine Holds Ingredients For Life
- How Do You Make A Painkiller Addiction-Proof?
Most Emailed
Science
- The Week In Numbers: Fire In Space, The First Cloned Human Embryo, And More
- 8 Of The Year's Most Oddly Gorgeous Science Images
- 8 Of The Year's Most Oddly Gorgeous Science Images
- A Zombie Worm And Other Amazing Images From This Week
- A Zombie Worm And Other Amazing Images From This Week
- Cambrian Fossil With Scissor-Like Claws Is Named For Johnny Depp
- First American Mission To Sample An Asteroid Gets Green Light
- High School Students Devise More Accurate Climate Modeling Method
- Wanna Know How You're Going To Survive The Apocalypse?
- This Bacterium Can Do Division, Compute Logarithms And Take Square Roots
Most Viewed
Science
- The Week In Numbers: Fire In Space, The First Cloned Human Embryo, And More
- 8 Of The Year's Most Oddly Gorgeous Science Images
- 8 Of The Year's Most Oddly Gorgeous Science Images
- A Zombie Worm And Other Amazing Images From This Week
- A Zombie Worm And Other Amazing Images From This Week
- Cambrian Fossil With Scissor-Like Claws Is Named For Johnny Depp
- First American Mission To Sample An Asteroid Gets Green Light
- High School Students Devise More Accurate Climate Modeling Method
- Wanna Know How You're Going To Survive The Apocalypse?
- This Bacterium Can Do Division, Compute Logarithms And Take Square Roots
Online Content Director: Suzanne LaBarre | Email
Senior Editor: Paul Adams | Email
Associate Editor: Dan Nosowitz | Email
Assistant Editor: Colin Lecher | Email
Assistant Editor: Rose Pastore | Email
Contributing Writers:
Rebecca Boyle | Email
Kelsey D. Atherton | Email
Francie Diep | Email
Shaunacy Ferro | Email
Today on PopSci.com
Copyright © 2012 Popular Science
A Bonnier Corporation Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Let the trolling begin!!
Scientist created a mutant replicating and grew it up to a blastocyst stage and then are disappointed it’s a mutant. Now the task is to repeat the same replication without a mutant end result, for the purposes of growing usable stem cells that are compatible to the donor.
I am for stem cell research and I do not have a problem with this article. But, that’s me.
Wouldn't poking more than one hole in an egg be the same as 2 sperm entering?
Very neat stuff. Glad to see progrees is still being made in this field.
At the intercom:
ehhh... i would like one kidney, two finger and a toe please...
(would be nice to do it that easy as asking for a french fries at "McDoodle")
bored? lets go mine the stars... ^^
vt007,
Ahem, sir, ...
Is that for here or to go and would you like that super sized? Don't forget our scratch off contest. You may win a second brain!!!
vt007,
Just to let you know, the previous spontaneous comment just burped out of my brain. My intention was not to insult you in manner. I am very sure you brain is not need of any augmentation, accessorizing or exchange.
Ok, ok, I feel better, I just had to get that off my chest. I am done cloning around for now, lol. ;)
Why dont we get our stem cells straight from human embryos?
Ohh right because of religion hmmmm
It will be nice when we finally have nailed this technology down to cure all kinds of diseases. This way will be less controversial, I think, than taking the cells from abortions at least.
On a side note, mp was sounding like BubbaGump. No?
Stem cells do not come from abortions, that is a myth.
thank you south park, i say dump money into this, we could solve a lot of problems(paralyisis, limb replacement, stroke recovery, alzeihmers, etc.)
This milestone in stem-cell research will be invaluable to work being done with Regenerative Medicine. I recently served as the principal science advisor for a new National Geographic book, The Big Idea: How Breakthroughs of the Past Shape the Future, where we discuss the burgeoning field of regenerative medicine. Being able to work with the patient's own cells eliminate the opportunity for the body's immune system to reject the organ. It will be interesting to follow what happens next with this research.
-Prof. Jim Trefil, Principal Science Advisor The Big Idea: How Breakthroughs of the Past Shape the Future
Sorry, I didn't know that was just a myth. Although I did see that particular episode of South Park, it was not what gave me that idea. :) I should have done proper research before posting.
Anyway, this could be a way to cure tons of diseases and extend human life, if it gets the funding it needs. There is no telling the possibilities when it comes to possible treatments.
no problemo, alot of mis-information floating around, cheers
For those whose been following stem-cell related publications, notice the numerous studies done at China and Taiwan? To my fellow American, please set aside our philosophical differences and invest our energy for the greater goods. To the awesome people at NYSCF, thank you for your hard works, we all truly appreciate it!!