Thread: Stem Cell Research

adult stem cell research makes sense, and will become medicine soon (within 10 years...at least in clinical trial I'd bet). "We have the technology".

Embryonic stem cell research....won't. ANd not just because of the political or moral implications, but simply because adult stem cell treatments are going to work, and embryonic stem cell treatments won't. At least not in "curing" of diseases.

we've had several threads about this, and I made some big speeches somewhere. Let's find them and merge.

Ya merge it with the last one.. Dnt remember what the topic was called tho..

To bad it doesn't work like the way south park shows. Ill just eat some babies and regain the use of my legs

Alright, I'll look for those. I read something about umbilical cord stem cells, and that this was probably the most efficient way to go about extracting a large quantity of stem cells.

Originally Posted by Xavsnipe

Alright, I'll look for those. I read something about umbilical cord stem cells, and that this was probably the most efficient way to go about extracting a large quantity of stem cells.

yeah, except last time I checked, I don't have any more umbilical cord cells to harvest.

We did this for our son, and I think it's become a decently common practice. But it's pie in the sky in terms of what they do with the cells, or even establishing common storage conditions/standards/etc. If you think about it, you're storing copies of yourself that could be engineered to replace parts of you, or even clone you. You'd think they would take it a bit more seriously than they do (for example, when they harvested my kids blood, they put it in some tube, unrefridgerated, and fed exed it to the company. no info was given as to the cell's viability. simply a count of "cells" but no quantitition of how many of those cells were still alive when they were frozen. Fucking ridiculous, from a scientific standpoint, since such technology/assays are CHEAP and EASY and definitive).

Why would they consider using embryonic stem cells if it is easier to secure adult stem cells from bone marrow and it's less controversial?

Originally Posted by Xavsnipe

Why would they consider using embryonic stem cells if it is easier to secure adult stem cells from bone marrow and it's less controversial?

it's not easier to use adult stem cells. Adult stem cells are tired, and worn out, and less abundant than embryonic.

Also, embryonics can be used generally. Once cell line can be expanded into billions and billions/trillions of cells, and then used to treat multiple patients. Like a drug. Adult stem cells come from the patient themselves. Sure, they could be expanded like embryonics, but the issue is the number of times they divide. The more divisions, the "older" they get, and the less pluripotent or resilient or useful they become.
Embryonics are just starting out. After 10 or so doublings, you go from one cell to 1000. 10X more, from 1000 to 1,000,000. 10X more, from 1,000,000 to 1,000,000,000, where they become useful. 30 doublings isn't too much stress for embryonic stem cells. And even for most decent adult stem cells. But...it's a concern.

Of course, you wouldn't start with just one cell. you'd start with 1000's. If not 100,000's. So then you're looking at trillions of cells after just 20-30 doublings ( a few weeks in an incubator, no problem).

Adults are good for long term "cures", since they are your own tissue. Embryonics....used on anyone other than the embryo they came from....are just like any other ogran transplant. A temporary fix, combined with drastic anti-inflammotory and immune supressants, which cause all sorts of other issues. Not sustainable.

Originally Posted by ...bigdog...

Embryonics....used on anyone other than the embryo they came from....are just like any other ogran transplant. A temporary fix, combined with drastic anti-inflammotory and immune supressants, which cause all sorts of other issues. Not sustainable.

Yea I read about possible rejection of embryonic stem cells from the host. (they're working on somatic cell nuclear transfer, which would reduce the possibility of rejection)

About the adult stem cells, yea...I read they're also multipotent ( can only develop some distinct cell types) and not pluripotent (can grow into anything) like embryonic cells are.

Originally Posted by Xavsnipe

Originally Posted by ...bigdog...

Embryonics....used on anyone other than the embryo they came from....are just like any other ogran transplant. A temporary fix, combined with drastic anti-inflammotory and immune supressants, which cause all sorts of other issues. Not sustainable.

Yea I read about possible rejection of embryonic stem cells from the host. (they're working on somatic cell nuclear transfer, which would reduce the possibility of rejection)

About the adult stem cells, yea...I read they're also multipotent ( can only develop some distinct cell types) and not pluripotent (can grow into anything) like embryonic cells are.

exactly.

and the other big issue is supply. once you get to be 40, or 30 if you've done some hard living, you don't make the kinds of stem cells that are useful. Such is why you start aging rapidly, getting grey, wrinkled, and tired in the 40-50 range. Some moreso than others. Like I said in the other thread...the theory would be that you could harvest adult stem cells as a child (you're not an embryo once you're born), in cord blood where there's a high concentration of really good, young cells, and store them. Then...when you hit 30, give yourself an infusion, systemically or into your bones or whatever, of the stored cells. Then when you're 40. Then when you're 50. and so on.

Remember...you'd harvest a few hundred thousand when you're young, and expand that into trillions and trillions. Then, just take 1 trillion or so every few years as a refresher.

About as close to immortality as we're gonna get. And this shit is real, folks. Even if there's nothing wrng with you, it's the stem cells that keep refreshing your muscles, and skin, and lungs, and heart, and liver, and.....all the things that fail on you and kill you when you're old. Keep them from aging by continually supply "new" stem cells.....and live forever.