Scientists have found a way around the laws preventing the cultivation of human embryonic stem cells by growing human cells in the eggs of other animals. Two such scientists from England, Stephen Minger and Lyle Armstrong believe that the usage of chimera human stem cells derived from the egg cells of cows could help solve the ethical issues surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells in medicine. Other 'chimera' (organism/cell containing 2 different sets of DNA) advances have been made by crossing human genes with mice, pigs and cows to produce hybrid variations that have active human cells co existing in the organisms. (http://www.infowars.com/articles/brave_new_world/chimera/)
In basic terms the steps taken to create a chimera human-cow cell involve the extraction of the cow egg's DNA, followed by the implantation of human DNA which replaces the cows DNA. The egg is then 'fooled/stimulated' into believing it has been fertilized and cell division occurs producing multiple embryonic stem cells that could potentially be cultivated and used inhuman medical research seeing as the DNA of the cell is human.
The reason this process is carried out in the first place is that, "cow egg's are available and human egg's aren't." states university of Verginia's Jonathan Moreno and that the extraction of human eggs is invasive, potentially dangerous and is considered unethical by majority of society. But although this is true, the debate as to whether chimera cells should be allowed to be used in open medical research is yet to be decided in many countries.
Scientists have also integrated human nerve receptors into the brains of mice to increase mental productivity, developed pigs with human blood flowing through their veins and have also developed human organs in animals that were exposed to human DNA as embryos.
Such advances in biotechnology and genetics if given the green light by health authorities world wide could provide an unlimited supply of embryonic stem cells, production of replacement organs grown in animals (such as pigs which are slaughtered for their meat in the first place) and a constant supply of human blood could be harvested for use in intensive care circumstances in hospitals. (http://www.infowars.com/articles/brave_new_world/chimera/)
article: 'chimera controversy' by Andrea Anderson, August 31st 2007
http://scienceline.org/2007/08/31/bio_anderson_chimera/
by joel challen
