Praise the Science! First chimeric monkeys created. - Polidicks

[release]For the first time, scientists have produced monkeys composed of cells taken from separate embryos. The animals were born after researchers combined cells from different embryos and implanted them into female monkeys. [b]Such animals, which contain genetically distinct groups of cells from more than one organism, are called "chimeras".[/b] A US team, which has reported its work in the journal Cell, says the advance could have "enormous" importance for medical research. Chimeras are important for studying embryonic development, but research has largely been restricted to mice. The rhesus monkeys, which are normal and healthy, are made up of a mixture of cells representing as many as six distinct individuals. [b]"The cells never fuse, but they stay together and work together to form tissues and organs," [/b]said co-author Shoukhrat Mitalipov of the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, US. Early decisions Initial efforts by Dr Mitalipov's team to produce living monkey chimeras by introducing cultured embryonic stem cells into monkey embryos - a well-established means for generating chimeric mice - failed. Continue reading the main story “ Start Quote Assumptions about the way human embryos develop have always been based on the mouse” Prof Robin Lovell-Badge NIMR Stem cells are the "master cells" that can transform into a variety of more specialised cells required in the body. The embryonic stem cells the team tried and failed with were at a developmental stage known as "pluripotency". This means they can transform into any tissue type in the body, but cannot turn into the placenta or an entire animal. The researchers were only able to make monkey chimeras when they mixed cells from very early stage embryos, in which each individual embryonic cell was "totipotent". These totipotent cells are capable of giving rise to a whole animal as well as the placenta and other life-sustaining tissues. Dr Mitalipov said it appeared that primate embryos prevented cultured embryonic stem cells from becoming integrated as they do in mice. The study also suggests that cultured primate and human embryonic stem cells, some of which have been maintained in labs for as long as two decades, may not be as potent as those found inside a living embryo. Primate embryos seem to resist the integration of cultured embryonic stem cells Prof Robin Lovell-Badge, from the UK National Institute for Medical Research in Mill Hill, called the advance "very important". The researcher, who was not involved in the study, told BBC News: "Assumptions about the way human embryos develop have always been based on the mouse." But he added that this could be a "dangerous assumption". [b]Chimeras can be used to understand the role of specific genes in the development of embryos as well as for studying the overall mechanisms of development.[/b] For example, if studying a genetic mutation that causes cells to die, it is much more useful if the embryo is rescued by normal cells that allow the scientists to continue their work. Monkeys are expected to be a better model for humans than are mice Prof Lovell-Badge said there had been a growing feeling for some time that pluripotent stem cells from humans and monkeys were different from those in mice. The latest research suggests the biological pathways to restrict cells in their ability to form different tissue types are passed earlier in monkeys than they are in mice. "We cannot model everything in the mouse," Dr Mitalipov explained. "If we want to move stem cell therapies from the lab to clinics and from the mouse to humans, we need to understand what these primate cells can and can't do. "We need to study them in humans, including human embryos." But he stressed there was no practical use for producing human chimeras. Stem cell therapies hold promise for replacing damaged nerve cells in those who have been paralysed due to a spinal cord injury and, for example, the brain cells lost in Parkinson's Disease.[/release] [img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/57716000/jpg/_57716113_57716112.jpg[/img] [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16427873]Science[/url]

So tempted to make a Resistance quip. Thing's cute, though. Wonder if they expect it to survive, I can't imagine such organisms, especially something as complex as a primate, can.

[QUOTE=Arachnidus;34071347]So tempted to make a Resistance quip. Thing's cute, though. Wonder if they expect it to survive, I can't imagine such organisms, especially something as complex as a primate, can.[/QUOTE] In what ways do you mean complex? Humans have around the same number of genes as a chicken.

Next step: Making the animals on this planet less sucky!

[QUOTE=Stonecycle;34071384]Next step: Making the animals on this planet less sucky![/QUOTE] We have some amazing animals on this planet, what are you talking about?

Next thing you know we will have abominations like that dog-girl thing from Fullmetal Alchemist.

Am I the only one who can see the movie "splice" Coming true? I mean... They essentially just created an animal. I would never venture into this territory of creating animals. Nature does it better than us.

Still waiting on Ultimate Chimera Hunt reference

[QUOTE=MightyMax;34071422]Am I the only one who can see the movie "splice" Coming true? I mean... They essentially just created an animal. I would never venture into this territory of creating animals. Nature does it better than us.[/QUOTE] [I]Splice[/I] won't come true because [I]Splice[/I] was a bad movie.

[QUOTE=OvB;34071376]In what ways do you mean complex? Humans have around the same number of genes as a chicken.[/QUOTE] In terms of cellular count, I mean. The more cells, the higher chance of cancer, no? Though I suppose that's related to mass. There's also the structural aspect of it, a primate's brain is (generally) more advanced than chickens, is it not?

When can we start producing dragons? I want a pet dragon. Or a griffin.

I was expecting things closer to mythical Greek chimeras. You know, some [url=http://brian.carnell.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/woz-flying-monkey-statue.jpg]Wizard of Oz[/url] shit. But seriously, congrats, science.

[QUOTE=A B.A. Survivor;34071463][I]Splice[/I] won't come true because [I]Splice[/I] was a bad movie.[/QUOTE] Insideee youuuuuuuuu

[QUOTE=MaroonMak;34071418]Next thing you know we will have abominations like that dog-girl thing from Fullmetal Alchemist.[/QUOTE] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1pKY8UE0mQ[/media] Chimeras? Oh dear.

[QUOTE=Arachnidus;34071485]In terms of cellular count, I mean. The more cells, the higher chance of cancer, no? Though I suppose that's related to mass. There's also the structural aspect of it, a primate's brain is (generally) more advanced than chickens, is it not?[/QUOTE] I suppose in that respect you're correct.

[QUOTE=Last or First;34071529]I was expecting things closer to mythical Greek chimeras. You know, some [url=http://brian.carnell.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/woz-flying-monkey-statue.jpg]Wizard of Oz[/url] shit. But seriously, congrats, science.[/QUOTE] When you said wizard of oz, for a second there I thought you were talking about the lion. That... thing haunts my nightmares. [IMG]http://seriouslyfacts.me/images/cowardlylion.jpg[/IMG]

Another chimera is called a geep (goat and sheep embryos merged): [img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Sheep_goat_chimera.jpg[/img] The neat thing with these chimeras is that they can give you visual insight into how the animal developed, as with this geep, which has sheep legs, but a goat's body. Another neat thing with inter-species chimerism is that they can be fertile, but they'll only pass on genes from whichever species its reproductive system grew from.

[QUOTE=MightyMax;34071422]I would never venture into this territory of creating animals. Nature does it better than us.[/QUOTE] yes, for now. :eng101:

beep beep im a geep

[QUOTE=Stonecycle;34071384]Next step: Making the animals on this planet less sucky![/QUOTE] humans suck more than animals, dood

[img]http://stalker.wbl.sk/stalker_chimera.jpg[/img] We're boned.

[QUOTE=Mattk50;34071653][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1pKY8UE0mQ[/media] Chimeras? Oh dear.[/QUOTE] She was your DAUGHTER you SICK FUCK

One step closer to [url]http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Chimera_Institute[/url]

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;34071497]When can we start producing dragons? I want a pet dragon. Or a griffin.[/QUOTE] rrerr

In the future everyone will be either a cyborg or a genetically-engineered super-furry.

Aren't chimeras the enemies in Resistance

[QUOTE=Eudoxia;34072412]In the future everyone will be either a cyborg or a genetically-engineered super-furry.[/QUOTE] Can't wait to see real life furries exist, and can't wait to see people watch with despair how buttfuck ugly a real life furry would actually look like. Disillusion is so much fun :v:

[QUOTE=MightyMax;34071422]Am I the only one who can see the movie "splice" Coming true? I mean... They essentially just created an animal. I would never venture into this territory of creating animals. Nature does it better than us.[/QUOTE] Yes, throughout the period of millions of years. Civilization does not have the time to take morality and ethics into consideration on things with such huge usefulness like creatable organisms.

[QUOTE=lifehole;34072951]Yes, throughout the period of millions of years. Civilization does not have the time to take morality and ethics into consideration on things with such huge usefulness like creatable organisms.[/QUOTE] Except huge religious lobbying is in the way.

[QUOTE=Ganerumo;34072957]Except huge religious lobbying is in the way.[/QUOTE] *sigh* Yes, as per-usual.