Cancer Stem Cells Hint at Cure

[RodneyCK2]

This can not be good for Bush&Co and their anti-stem cell research agenda.

"Researchers have discovered cells that continually replenish leukemia tumors. Killing these infinitely renewing cells could be key to halting the disease.

A genetic mutation causes the leukemia cells to divide out of control and allows tumors to grow, according to research published in the Aug. 12 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Previously, no one knew the exact identity of these cells. "

More...
http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,64549,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_3

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

1. Obviously they haven't run it by Pickles . . .

She would point out to them the flaws in their research which prevent them from acknowledging that there's no evidence anything will result from stem cell research.

It's a good thing she wasn't around when the Wrights were experimenting with flight.

This is the most anti-science administration ever!

[snowFLAKE]

2. Aside from the Current Study

It is a fundamental feature of both Stem Cells and Cancer Cells that both cell types have a remarkable capacity for growth. In the case of Stem Cells the growth is controlled naturally in the body (e.g., when a tissue is fully formed, growth stops), in the case of Cancer Cells, growth is out of control. Being able to figure out the differences between the controlled and un-controlled growth would surely offer major advances in Cancer Treatments (eventually). But, of course, if half the equation is out-of-bounds, little progress is likely.

Not to be too mean, but maybe Fate will be kind and kill all the Bush Family by horrible slow diseases that would otherwise be curable if research was going on right now.

[snowFLAKE]

3. Now that I've gotten Started, here's another point

Continuing the link/comparison between Stem Cells and Cancer - consider that cancer is a complex disease that is rather difficult to cure. But progress is being made, partly due to the fact that thousands of cancer cell lines are available from sources such as the ATCC:

http://www.atcc.org

Typically, researchers will send in cells of interest, and the ATCC maintains them, and sends them out to other researchers basically "at cost" - which is $200-$300 for most cell lines. Then, the researcher can do pretty much whatever he or she wishes with the cells (In the past, Anyone could easily order cells from the ATCC, but that changed when White Supremecists were found to be ordering Bubonic Plague strains of bacteria for unknown, but probably Not Benign reasons) as long as it's for legitimate research purposes.

Now, compare to Stem Cell lines. First there are not thousands of cell lines available, there are a few dozen. Stem Cell Biology is likely to be just as complex as Cancer Biology - so it stands to reason that Real Progress will require at least as many resources (i.e., thousands of cell lines, not 62 or how ever many are now available). Second, the cell lines ARE NOT readily available. Instead of $200, the people who have them are asking $6,000 or more. Furthermore, before they send them to you, you have to sign licensing agreements to ensure that they will retain rights to any commercial products that may someday arise from the cells. They also reserve the rights to micro-manage research done with the cells. Essentially, the net effect is that even though Mr. and Mrs. Bush say stem cells are available, the reality is that they are available in such as Stifling Manner that they might as well not be available for all practical purposes.