Britain allows mixed animal-human embryos

Britain allows mixed animal-human embryos

www.smh.com.au

Britain has taken a giant step in the global race to unravel the mystery of genetic disease after the Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of radical stem cell research which will allow the creation of mixed animal-human embryos.

The dramatic changes will now allow scientists to boost stocks of embryos by creating what are known as 'admixed embryos'. These techniques pave the way for the use of both human and animal genetic materials - mainly from cows and rabbits - to make hybrids known as "cytoplasmic hybrids" or "cybrids". These effectively allow the movement of a human nucleus into an empty animal egg - which makes a genetically 99.9 per cent human.

The legislation means that what are known as chimeras can also be created, using either a combination of human and animal cells or the manufacture of transgenic human embryos that might only include a tiny amount of animal DNA.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I cannot help but wonder if a genetically "99.9 per cent human" may have something missing which is indefinable, yet necessary to be truly human..........this raises some really interesting questions.

www.smh.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

lots of questions yes. like why are the brits trying to play god...

a monkey would have 99% similar DNA with humans too

yeah i find this to be a wrong choice. I'm kinda against stem cell research. I only say kinda cause i know only a bit about it. But from what iknow, it's basically toying with cells and DNA and stuff in that area, correct? That (whether it's the subject of this or not) seems rather wrong to me. Well, i guess chimera and centaurs are gonna come to reality within our lifetimes!

Originally posted by the titor experience
I cannot help but wonder if a genetically "99.9 per cent human" may have something missing which is indefinable, yet necessary to be truly human..........this raises some really interesting questions.

Personally I think a little bovine dna could only improve some human gene pools.

Heck yes!

This is AWESOME!

I'm pumped that we're learning more about this and the things we will be able to do in the near future with it.

BTW, if you're against stem cells, I hope you know that we no longer need fetuses to obtain them any more.

Great news.

With every step like this we get even closer to fully understanding what we are and how to reverse all the negative effects we suffer. I know it's just early days, but think about the next 50 years. We could have artificially grown organ sacks. Maybe immortality is within our grasp.

This whole 'playing God' tripe is just that. Tripe. Complete rubbish. We should be allowed to do anything we damn well please if our understanding allows it. Religion and science should never meet, when they do there is just too much conflict.

Now we need to broaden our views on what we class as 'moral' in the advancement of our species.