British Researchers Create Human-Animal Hybrid Embryos

Taximom · Apr 2, 2008

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,344789,00.html
LONDON
Embryos containing human and animal material have been created in Britain for the first time, a month before the House of Commons votes on new laws to regulate the research.

A team at Newcastle University announced yesterday that it had successfully generated admixed embryos by adding human DNA to empty cow eggs in the first experiment of its kind in Britain.
(much more at link)

drip~drop · Apr 2, 2008

Oh great. Now we can one day see cows with human faces? Yikes!

I don't think I'm quite ready for this "miracle" to take place. (if it hasn't already happened in some lab someplace.)

hipmamajen · Apr 2, 2008

Good grief, why?

Pandora · Apr 2, 2008

Anybody else remember this from school days?
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Island_of_Dr._Moreau

KatK · Apr 2, 2008

hipmamajen said:
Good grief, why?

To have stem cells with which to study horrible diseases like Parkinson's, with the hope of finding a better way to treat it, if not cure it, that is why. There won't be any cows with human faces. This is a way to get the stem cells, without getting them from....other places that some object to.

Admixed embryos are widely supported by scientists and patient groups as they provide an opportunity to produce powerful stem-cell models for investigating diseases such as Parkinson’s and diabetes, and for developing new drugs.
<snip>
The BBC reported that the Newcastle cybrids lived for three days, and that the largest grew to contain 32 cells. The ultimate aim is to grow these for six days, and then to extract embryonic stem cells for use in research.

Once the technique has been tested, scientists hope to create cybrids from the DNA of patients with genetic diseases. The resulting stem cells could then be used as models of those diseases to provide insights into their progress and to test new treatments.

It is already illegal to culture human-animal embryos for more than 14 days, or to implant them in the womb of a woman or animal, and these prohibitions will remain in the new legislation.

deanws · Apr 2, 2008

drip~drop said:
Oh great. Now we can one day see cows with human faces? Yikes!
I don't think I'm quite ready for this "miracle" to take place. (if it hasn't already happened in some lab someplace.)

Read the article. It says the cells will never develop and that they are being used to research diseases.

natasha-cupcake · Apr 2, 2008

deanws said:
Read the article. It says the cells will never develop and that they are being used to research diseases.

The article also states that the cow DNA was entirely removed. Basically, the cow cell is emptied of any genetic material that says "cow" and replaced with human genetic material. Even if the embryo was allowed to develop, it could not develop into a cow/human. I suspect it might not be able to develop very far at all, even if implanted into a human or animal uterus (although I could be wrong).

If something like this is needed for research of nasty diseases, I'm okay with it, although I'm uncomfortable with the thought that some weirdo would try to take this to another level.

It does have a big chunk of the "ick" factor, I admit.

scarpetta · Apr 2, 2008

This is udderly fascinating.

Taximom · Apr 2, 2008

scarpetta said:
This is udderly fascinating.

LOL

I just hope they remove the methane gas producing gene if they ever create a cowson, or cowple. Or peacows.

XcomSquaddie · Apr 2, 2008

The Moreau Trilogy by S. A. Swann:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/90/Cvra_fotn.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moreau_series

Go Sci-Fi!

XcomSquaddie · Apr 2, 2008

Taximom said:
LOL

I just hope they remove the methane gas producing gene ...

Too late. I've got that one...

Taximom · Apr 2, 2008

LOL, Xcom!

drip~drop · Apr 2, 2008

deanws said:
Read the article. It says the cells will never develop and that they are being used to research diseases.

I was so pooped last night and let my imagination run away.
I should have taken the time to read the articles.
Anyways, if it will help further medicine and do no harm, I'm all for it.

(getting cow with human face outta my head...:crazy: )

hipmamajen · Apr 2, 2008

That makes sense, I figured there was more to it than I was grasping up front.

It still feels pretty icky to me, though. I'll have to check it out more.

SieSie · Apr 2, 2008

hipmamajen said:
That makes sense, I figured there was more to it than I was grasping up front.

It still feels pretty icky to me, though. I'll have to check it out more.

I'm glad to hear there won't be half cow, half people walking around someday, but it does still have an "icky" factor to me, too!

KatK · Apr 2, 2008

SieSie said:
I'm glad to hear there won't be half cow, half people walking around someday, but it does still have an "icky" factor to me, too!

Please, use your mind here. (You're better than this, *THINK* don't let your mind atrophy. If you don't know about something, *ASK* I won't let anyone call you stupid. Or, look it up and self educate. I also am ignorant about some things, but if I come up with "wonderings" I seek out knowledge. Adding: There is no shame in admitting you dunno about something either. My grump is those who are freaking out and posing "what ifs" without going to read and find out, even after links to the information have been posted. I know it might be hard to believe, but I do admit if I don't know about something, and often I will go look up and learn a bit about whatever it is after admitting it.) That isn't remotely possible. Only in movies, not in real life. There cannot be hybrids like that ever. Cows and humans aren't the same species. Donkeys and horses can breed, (Mule) because they are both equine. Lions and tigers can breed (Liger) because they are both feline. *advertiser censored* sapiens and bovines can *NEVER* make a hybrid, ever because the DNA isn't similar enough. They aren't mixing bovine and *advertiser censored* sapien DNA at all, actually. ETA: hybrid (biology)

XcomSquaddie · Apr 2, 2008

Here's a disturbing picture:

(Seriously, it's creepy. You have been warned,,,)

http://www.snopes.com/photos/arts/family.asp

ETA: Changed link from photo to entire article. Hope that works.

KatK · Apr 2, 2008

XcomSquaddie said:
Here's a disturbing picture:

(Seriously, it's creepy. You have been warned,,,)

http://www.snopes.com/photos/arts/graphics/humandog.jpg

I believe it pulls up the "bandwidth theft" image that site has chosen. Korn - Word Up

XcomSquaddie · Apr 2, 2008

KatK said:
Please, use your mind here. That isn't remotely possible.

No, not now. But at the rate our understanding of genetics is increasing, no one can say what will be possible in 5, 10 or 20 years. Crossbreeding hybrids would be impossible naturally. But with genesplicing who knows what they will be able to do.

We can only hope that our wisdom will increase at the same rate as our scientific understanding. Given our past history, it doesn't look good.

XcomSquaddie · Apr 2, 2008

KatK said:
I believe it pulls up the "bandwidth theft" image that site has chosen. Korn - Word Up

Those weenies. I'll fix it in the morning.

British Researchers Create Human-Animal Hybrid Embryos

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