Dear Docs, Medicos and friends of Science and Genetics,

Plan to create human-cow embryos http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6121280.stm

You may begin to undermine the whole distinction between humans animals and
humans - Calum MacKellar
Why create chimeras?

UK scientists have applied for permission to create embryos by fusing human DNA
with cow eggs. Researchers from Newcastle University and Kings College, London,
have asked the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority for a three-year
licence. The hybrid human-bovine embryos would be used for stem cell research
and would not be allowed to develop for more than a few days. But critics say it
is unethical and potentially dangerous. Liberal Democrat MP Dr Evan Harris - a
member of the Commons Science and Technology Select Committee - said: "If human
benefit can be derived by perfecting therapeutic cloning techniques or from
research into subsequently-derived stem cells, then it would actually be immoral
to prevent it just because of a 'yuck' factor." Stem cell research is one of the
most promising areas of medical science. It is this ability which scientists
want to harness to treat diseases such as Parkinson's Disease, strokes and
Alzheimer's Disease. To do that, they need to have access to thousands of
embryos for research.
Short supply

The problem is that human eggs for research are in short supply and to obtain
them women have to undergo surgery. That is why scientists want to use cows'
eggs as a substitute. They would insert human DNA into a cow's egg which has had
its genetic material removed, and then create an embryo by the same technique
that produced Dolly the Sheep. The resulting embryo would be 99.9% human; the
only bovine element would be DNA outside the nucleus of the cell. It would,
though, technically be a chimera - a mixing of two distinct species into one.
The aim would be to extract stem cells from the embryo when it is six days old,
before destroying it.


If human benefit can be derived by perfecting therapeutic cloning techniques or
from research into subsequently-derived stem cells, then it would actually be
immoral to prevent it just because of a 'yuck' factor - Dr Evan Harris
The quality and the viability of stem cells would then be checked to see if the
technique had worked. The scientists also plan to examine the way the cells are
reprogrammed after fusion to see if there are useful processes they could
replicate in the laboratory. Lead researcher Dr Lyle Armstrong said: "If we can
learn from the egg cell how to make embryonic stem cells without having to use
an animal egg at all then some day we may be able to cure diseases such as
Parkinson's disease, or better still some of the age-related diseases which are
creating such a burden on society." Dr Stephen Minger, from King's College
London, said: "The current state of the technology is such that literally
hundreds of human ooctyes (eggs) from young women will be required to generate a
single human embryonic stem cell line. "Therefore we consider it more
appropriate to use non-human oocytes from livestock as a surrogate. "We feel
that the development of disease-specific human embryonic stem cell lines from
individuals suffering from genetic forms of neurodegenerative disorders will
stimulate both basic research and the development of new medicines to treat
these horrific brain diseases."

'Undermining humanity'

Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, head of developmental genetics, National Institute
for Medical Research, said: "This is a very rational step: to learn what you can
using animal eggs, which are readily obtainable, before moving on to valuable
human eggs when or if this becomes necessary."

HAVE YOUR SAY
What are diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's if they are not
undermining human dignity? - Paul Kemp, Munich
Send us your views
But some will argue the end does not justify the means. Calum MacKellar, from
the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics, said the research undermined the
distinction between animals and humans. He said: "In the history of humankind,
animals and human species have been separated. "In this kind of procedure, you
are mixing at a very intimate level animal eggs and human chromosomes, and you
may begin to undermine the whole distinction between humans and animals. "If
that happens, it might also undermine human dignity and human rights."


Forwarded By yours Dr.BHUDIA-Science Group Of INDIA.
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