I never would have thought that our skin cells could be lifesaving? Although a recent article has revealed that scientists have recently discovered the benefits of converting our skin cells into functioning liver cells. This new study occurs by undergoing a new stem cell technique in which liver cells can be grown from our skin cells. British scientists believe that this researched study may be the solution of liver transplant patients with many rewarding benefits. During this procedure, scientists from the University of Cambridge, use a technique known as the zinc finger nuclease which allows scientists to snips the genome to correct it. This new process creates these functioning liver cells without any evidence of gene correction that had occurred. I definitely find this article to be extremely interesting. It's amazing how scientists can find such ways to cure an issue so rapidly by undergoing a few scientific tests. Even though this procedure will take about ten years to take affect, I feel that many lives will be saved and this will become beneficial to many throughout.
Now, I wonder how they will use this finding to help those with damaged livers. This is a very interesting finding because our skin cells are relatively abundant and we are able to generate new skins cells quickly.
ReplyDeleteIf federal funding would be allowed to go towards stem cell research in the United States the possibilities would be endless. Imagine if we could take cells from our healthy bodies and harvest organs to save for a rainy day. One day this could possibly lead to having a complete clone from birth to use if ever needed. Throw all of your ethics aside and think about if you ever may need a heart transplant, blood transfusion, or anything that requires compatibility, no more waiting for the right donor. The researchers at Cambridge are on the right track.
ReplyDelete@john
ReplyDeleteThe ethical issues are important to keep in mind though when considering stem cell research. It's unclear to me if you were referring to the ethical issues of embryonic stem cell research or the ethical issues of cloning. For embryonic stem cell research, I found this article helpful in seeing both sides of the issue: . I feel that it is important to always be reevaluating the morals behind the science we are doing because if we do something that isn't right for a good cause, it still doesn't validate the wrong action. For stem cell research, adult stem cells from our own tissues can be used instead of embryonic stem cells, thus sidestepping ethical issues altogether.This is the type of research the scientists at Cambridge are currently employing. I think that this method of using a patient's own skin cells to replace damaged liver cells is ingenious and that research should be done to see what other types of cells the skin cells could be used for. There are some advantages and disadvantages to this route, but it is worth looking into since there are no ethical conflicts involved, and it also would have less risk for rejection by the patient's body.
@elise
ReplyDeleteIt didn't let me insert the links i pasted into my comment.
Interesting way British scientists are approaching the need for liver transplants. Nahn is right. Skin cells are so abundant that it makes sense they would be the target for this experiment. If this were to a successful method for growing liver cells, I wonder how many people would stop caring for themselves; readily available cells could have negative affects on how people take care of their liver.
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