Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Stem Cells: Try, Try Again




There's a new method for creating human embryonic stem cell lines that involves removal of one single cell from a human embryo. The hope was that this method would overcome the objections of the "life begins at conception" crowd by creating new stem cell lines without harming the embryo from which they were derived. Unfortunately, there are continued objections:

"It is widely believed that one cell of a very early embryo may separate and become a new embryo, an identical twin," said Richard Doerflinger of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

For this reason, the possibility of an identical twin being able to form from the single cell removed from the original embryo, the new method is still objectionable to the hard-liners. It is unclear whether the new method will be eligible for federal research funding. Don't hold your breath...

1 comment:

5th Estate said...

God clearly states that life begins with a combination of clay and a rib and God's blessing of fertility after the clay and the rib have combined to form ..um Cain and Able...one of whom is murdered by the other and...well... leg'go my embryo.
( P.S. Have you thought about researching madness and stupidity instead of eyeballs and cells and what not? I mean, there's no end to the material available.)