Friday, April 28, 2006
Introduction to stem cells
The University of Michigan pelts its alumni with email propaganda, and the latest included a link to a useful layman's overview of stem cells, in the form of a Flash video. It is bland as can be, although I'm sure that those who feel passionately about the subject will see things to complain about. If, like me, you don't really understand the basics of the science, it is pretty interesting.
1 Comments:
By 
, at
Fri Apr 28, 11:19:00 AM:
The U of M tutorial is pretty good. I've read that invitro clinics freeze surplus embryos in anticipation of use. Apparently, they deteriorate after about five years and become unsuitable for invitro fertilization. At that point, they are usually destroyed. Why is that okay, but using the cells, which would have been destroyed anyway, not?
While the results of stem cell research should not be expected to be a panacea, there is at least some promise of improving the lives of seriously ill or disabled people. My dad recently died of complications related to Parkinson's disease after a long illness. His suffering at the end of his life was unbelievable.
