Australia Scientists Grow Adult Stem Cells from Nose

[Yeahman]

SYDNEY (Reuters) - With the help of the Catholic Church, Australian researchers have successfully grown adult stem cells harvested from the human nose, avoiding the ethical and legal problems associated with embryonic stem cells.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050324/hl_nm/health_australia_stemcell_dc_1

[Faithless]

Finally, picking from the nose has a purpose! :cool:

How was it ever discovered that the nose was rich in stem cells? I would have thought otherwise.

[imturok]

Finally, picking from the nose has a purpose! :cool:

How was it ever discovered that the nose was rich in stem cells? I would have thought otherwise.
Maybe they were trying to find out how to clone the nose.

[Faithless]

On the serious side, I didn't know what to make of this interest to pull the stem cell research away from fetal stuff, but I guess we should happy that there is interest in usage of stem cells at all.

I guess the science could have been deemed too weird to even address, whether it be from gathering cultures from the nose (or maybe someday between one's toes).

[imturok]

Stem cells also found in hair folllicles (and other places).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1447607,00.html#article_continue[/YRL]

Stem cells also found in hair folllicles (and other places).
[URL]http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1447607,00.html

[Faithless]

I wonder if scientists debate whether one set of stem cells are better (most affective in treatment processes) than others.

Or is it just that embryonic stem cells were the first things to be discovered (were they even?).

[haplesshobo]

yes, embryonic stem cells are more versatile and effective than adult stem cells. Embryonic cells are totipotent.

Out of all the stem cell lines Bush approved of a few years ago, they later found out that they wouldn't be able to use most of them.

[truMp]

Interesting...

At least this could lessen the vehement bioethical arguments over embryonic stem cell research.

[Yeahman]

The totipotent nature of embryonic stem cells has been a negative so far. When that South Korean parapalegic was cured last year, the scientists said that they prefered to use non-embryonic stem cells because they are easily to work with. Non-embryonic stem cells taken from the donor and used on the same person are also more effective unless you compare it to cloned embryos.

[haplesshobo]

seriously, that's misleading to use that as an example when the entire scientific community wants to be able to use embyonic stem cells. totipotency can differentiate itself into any other type of cell. its a valuable tool.

and, that still doesn't address that out of the lines that bush approved, only a few of them can be used.