[extropy-chat] [fwd] Another path to stem cells?

[Damien Broderick]

Robert J. Bradbury posts on another list:

New Scientist is reporting [1] that work from Yuri Verlinsky
in Chicago may have an alternate method for producing ESC
(aka "stembrids") using existing stem cell lines that have
been enucleated followed by the implantation of donor nuclei.
The idea being that the biochemical environment of the prior
stem cells reprograms the gene expression of the nuclei so
the stembrid becomes totipotent.

If this turns out to be real then it means the whole ball of
wax may be up for grabs.  I.e. once we lay our hands on the molecules
that determine the state of the nucleus then it could be possible
to revert the DNA of any nucleus to a stem cell state.  (The
eggs or stem cell lines will probably become non-essential
components of the process.)

It is worth noting two things.  First, that there is some controversy
surrounding the Verlinsky claims and that more work needs to be done to
put the frosting on the cake.  Second is that if it becomes possible
to revert many cells to a stem cell "state" then it will become
more important than ever to determine the condition of the genome
(in terms of accumulated mutations) within those cells.  They have
not had to pass through the development "strainer" for robust
genomes and therefore one does not know what latent mutations
they may have which would impact the development of specific
tissue types.

Robert

1. Double triumph in stem cell quest, New Scientist (25 May 2005)
    Michael Le Page, Rowan Hooper
    http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18625014.100&print=true