Stem Cell Research

FRC has an update on the pluripotent stem cells made from skin cells that make embyronic skin cells obsolete. The argument given to congressional Representatives is that only pluripotent stem cells work on all types of cells and therefore, pluripotent stem cells are the only stem cells worthy of research. Until now, the only cells that were pluripotent were Embryonic Stem Cells (ESC). In actuality, you can get stem cells that will treat similar cells in the body from a wide variety of different sources in the body. The entire body is covered from the many sources of adult stem cell. With iPS (Skin Stem Cells) the argument for ESC research is more of a mote point than ever. Representatives can now funnel money into iPS research and abandon giving money to those who are doing ESC research.

It is sad that some research scientists still want to continue research on ESC. You will find FRC's article timely and informative.

"iPS Success: Hardly Skin Deep
From the looks of it, 2008 is shaping up to be the year of the stem cell. The news that researchers had developed embryonic-type stem cells from ordinary skin cells is still sending tremors through the scientific and political communities.

In the brief two months since the announcement, the success with induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells has been replicated by three research teams. One such group, comprised of scientists from Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital Boston, managed to extract skin cells from a volunteer rather than relying on commercial laboratories to grow the cells. Elsewhere, a new technology developed by Columbia's Osiris Therapeutics is putting the finishing touches on Prochymal, a drug created from adult stem cells that may soon treat everything from gastrointestinal disorders to heart attacks.

Yet despite this surge of principled progress, some embryonic stem cell (ESC) supporters are still clinging to a method that may soon be obsolete [Certainly immoral]*. California's Institute of Regenerative Medicine easily houses the greatest number of these scientific holdouts, including President Richard Murphy. Although many of his colleagues are abandoning the ESC approach in favor of iPS, Murphy says, "We still think human embryonic stem cells are the gold standard."

Before making such statements, perhaps Dr. Murphy should have read a copy of FRC's new Insight paper, "Adult Stem Cell Success Stories--2007." Authored by our own Dr. David Prentice, Bill Saunders, and Michael Fragoso, "Success Stories" catalogues the medical treatments using ethical alternatives that appeared in scientific literature throughout 2007. The scoreboard count of such successes is now 73, while successful embryonic stem cell treatments continue to hold steady at--zero.

Additional Resources Adult Stem Cell Success Stories-2007 Update "

*[my comment]

Pray for the acceptance of the iPS cells in the scientific community. Pray that government officials will stop funding ESC research and will funnel money in to iPS research. Pray for the success of iPS based medication to cure a great number of diseases.

Shalom~~