Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Crossing the Line
In ch. 18, Skloot describes the process of somatic cell fusion and the first human-animal(mouse) hybrid. She goes on to describe the backlash from the public and media, using words like horrendous and monsters. Forgetting about the insight this experiment offered (genome mapping & organ transplant rejection), should the researchers step back and acknowledge they crossed the line by fusing a human cell to mouse cell, even if it was just a couple of cells.
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I don't think that researchers should step back in their studies especially when it has the potential to benefit future research. I don't see what the problem is, it is not like they are making human/mice hybrids or anything. They were just fusing cells not to create a viable/living organism but rather to study cell interaction (in this case, graft rejection). I think people often reject sciences (such as stem cell research or almost any other science) when they don't understand it or are too stubborn to change their views.
ReplyDeleteThat part reminds me of a Dr who is currently attempting to force legislation pertaining to human splicing by combining human and chimpanzee genes. Dr. Bournais showed us the video in genetics. I think it is important to establish boundaries in term of hybrids that come to term, but I'm not sure where I stand on the topic since I have no adverse feelings against hybridization on the cellular level like the human-mouse cells.
ReplyDeleteI dont think fusing the cells are a bad idea, simply because it may hold data that we may never see otherwise. We don't necessarily splice the cells together now, but we certainly rely on other cell types and cell lines to grow and develop a lot of human-cell experiments. But there are plenty of opportunities where I can see this human/animal cell splicing research taking a turn for the worse.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing that video about that Dr. who is trying to get that hybrid legislation passed. I dont know how for that went but just the fact that it is being discussed and will continue to be, is a good leap forward.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Steven, I think if people had a better understanding of science there wouldn't be this ridiculous fear of it. When things are happening on a cellular level I don't see any problem with it. We're not creating new organisms/monsters [yet...?]
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