human-animal hybrid embryos

[zar]

Scientists will be allowed to create hybrid human-animal embryos after MPs overwhelmingly voted in favour of radical stem cell research.

Stem cells can be harvested from hybrid embryos and used to create brain, skin, heart and other tissue
During passionate exchanges in the House of Commons, critics of the controversial embryo research proposals warned that Britain was "crossing a Rubicon" and risked becoming a "rogue state".

But they were heavily outnumbered by those who argued forcefully in favour of the potential for stem cell research using hybrids which scientists believe may transform the lives of millions and eventually stamp out some diseases altogether.

Under the new laws, British scientists will get the right to conduct the most far reaching research into hybrid embryos in the world..

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/1989386/MPs-vote-for-human-animal-hybrid-embryos.html

 

[barbara]

This does seem radical in my opinion. I wonder what the world will look back at 50 years from now and say, "Can you believe this?" or will this be something so commonplace that no one will even give it a second thought.

 

[Technocracy]

Legends.....


Atlantean researchers + Human-Animal hybrid research =


Minotaurs

Centaurs

Satyrs

 

[zar]

What is a hybrid?
A hybrid embryo is a mixture of both human and animal tissue.

The experiments that some British scientists want to conduct involve transferring nuclei containing DNA from human cells, such as skin cells, into animal eggs that have had almost all of their genetic information removed.

The resulting cytoplasmic embryos - known as admixed embryos - are more than 99% human, with a small animal component, making up around 0.1%.

The embryo would be grown in the lab for a few days, then harvested for stem cells - immature cells that can become many types of tissue.

There are other types of hybrid embryo, although research into these alternatives is not thought to be at such an advanced stage. They include:

True chimeras: The addition of one cell from an animal embryo to a human embryo. The subsequent embryo is made up of cells that are either wholly human or wholly animal.

Transgenic human embryos: A human embryo which has been genetically modified to contain a small amount of animal DNA, for instance one or more animal genes. Each cell would have the usual complement of around 20 000 human genes, and a couple of animal ones.

True hybrid: Fertilisation of a human egg by an animal sperm or vice versa. The resulting embryo would be approx 50% human and 50% animal. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6233415.stm