UK's first hybrid embryos created

heart · 04-04-2008, 03:51 AM

UK's first hybrid embryos created

By Fergus Walsh
Medical correspondent, BBC News

Scientists at Newcastle University have created part-human, part-animal hybrid embryos for the first time in the UK, the BBC can reveal.

CzeCze · 04-04-2008, 04:53 AM

Is that even frickin' legal? OMG.

AllAboutSoul · 04-04-2008, 04:54 AM

Ok, this is really icky. I don't like this at all.

aeon · 04-04-2008, 05:00 AM

Dubious use of the word hybrid, IMO. There is no splice or mix of genetic material between species. This type of "cell shell" growth technique has been around for some time.

That said, I have mixed thoughts and feelings on this. Not the fact it is being done with human parts - the fact that this "cell shell" growth technique is done at all.

cheers,
Ian

Nadir · 04-04-2008, 11:00 AM

I don't see anything problematic with the idea, so far... it's not as if the current goal is to create a human-cow hybrid with unprecedented milking potential... now that would be a curious thing to happen!

Wandering · 04-04-2008, 12:01 PM

So basically the cow eggs act as incubators for the human DNA? Disturbing, but logical and efficient.

Geoff · 04-04-2008, 12:20 PM

I don't see the big deal. We, as a species, over produce fertilisable material in the billions. Women lose eggs every month, and men billions of sperm. If it can be made useful for a few days and find a cure to large scale killers of adult humans, that for me far outweighs the harm of destroying pinhead sized clusters of cells that are no more capable of feeling pain or sentience than the hair we shave off, or the cells we destroy when we pierce an ear.

The key thing is controls. I'm pleased to say that the UK government is having a full scale vote about this in the Parliament, and that the Prime Minister has given permission for a free vote (ie, he won't ask his party members to back the party, they can vote with their underlying opinion).

mooky · 04-04-2008, 05:18 PM

Well my first reaction was what day was it in the news!

And yep I was right, 1st Of April.

I'm suspisous.

Geoff · 04-04-2008, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mooky

Well my first reaction was what day was it in the news!

And yep I was right, 1st Of April.

I'm suspisous.

Nah, there is lots of discussion about this in March and Catholic Church "outrage" over the Easter weekend.

Kiddo · 04-04-2008, 06:38 PM

Weren't they talking awhile ago about creating human/pig hybrids for the purpose of harvesting for organ transplants?

It's probably totally unrelated, but I do wonder if such a thing is possible, and if it is, then is it ethical?

04-04-2008, 03:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
heart heart on fire Join Date: May 2007 Type: INFP Posts: 7,344	UK's first hybrid embryos created UK's first hybrid embryos created By Fergus Walsh Medical correspondent, BBC News Scientists at Newcastle University have created part-human, part-animal hybrid embryos for the first time in the UK, the BBC can reveal. __________________ 5w4 sx/sp People understand me so poorly that they don't even understand my complaint about them not understanding me. Soren Kierkegaard

04-04-2008, 04:53 AM	#2 (permalink)
CzeCze Step Into My Centrifuge Join Date: Sep 2007 Type: ENFP Location: Minor Chords Posts: 3,250	Is that even frickin' legal? OMG. __________________ Objectivity is what saves you. But subjectivity is what makes life worth living.

04-04-2008, 04:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
AllAboutSoul It's always something... Join Date: Apr 2007 Type: INFJ Location: in a hollowy place Posts: 1,416	Ok, this is really icky. I don't like this at all. __________________ "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay one invincible summer."

04-04-2008, 11:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
Nadir Enigma Join Date: Dec 2007 Type: INxJ Location: Istanbul, Turkey Posts: 548	I don't see anything problematic with the idea, so far... it's not as if the current goal is to create a human-cow hybrid with unprecedented milking potential... now that would be a curious thing to happen! __________________ Not really.

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04-04-2008, 05:00 AM	#4 (permalink)
aeon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Type: INFP Location: Tenkay Lakes Posts: 276	Dubious use of the word hybrid, IMO. There is no splice or mix of genetic material between species. This type of "cell shell" growth technique has been around for some time. That said, I have mixed thoughts and feelings on this. Not the fact it is being done with human parts - the fact that this "cell shell" growth technique is done at all. cheers, Ian

04-04-2008, 12:01 PM	#6 (permalink)
Wandering Highly Hollow Join Date: Dec 2007 Type: INFJ Location: Slovenia (but I'm French) Posts: 868	So basically the cow eggs act as incubators for the human DNA? Disturbing, but logical and efficient.

04-04-2008, 12:20 PM	#7 (permalink)
Geoff Lallygag Moderator Join Date: Apr 2007 Type: INXP Location: Southern England Posts: 4,603	I don't see the big deal. We, as a species, over produce fertilisable material in the billions. Women lose eggs every month, and men billions of sperm. If it can be made useful for a few days and find a cure to large scale killers of adult humans, that for me far outweighs the harm of destroying pinhead sized clusters of cells that are no more capable of feeling pain or sentience than the hair we shave off, or the cells we destroy when we pierce an ear. The key thing is controls. I'm pleased to say that the UK government is having a full scale vote about this in the Parliament, and that the Prime Minister has given permission for a free vote (ie, he won't ask his party members to back the party, they can vote with their underlying opinion).

04-04-2008, 05:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
mooky Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Type: Posts: 120	Well my first reaction was what day was it in the news! And yep I was right, 1st Of April. I'm suspisous.

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