She highlights the work of Thompson and Gearhart, who derived stem cell lines from human blastocysts and cultured primordial germ cells. Stevens and Russell and Bernstein, all at the Jackson Laboratory in Maine, who used mouse strains with testicular teratoma, and later bone marrow transplantation, to cure radiation-induced anemia in rats - clearly the forerunner of cell-based therapy. Parson goes on to relate the stories of the painstaking work of several scientists, including L. In fact, the cast of characters in this book is so large that it becomes difficult, and perhaps unnecessary, for the reader to retain all the information. The text is mainly based on interviews with many of the scientists who have participated in the research rather than on analysis of seminal research papers, which makes the book a bit anecdotal. The rest of the book gives a historical account of stem cell research. This regenerative power provides the underlying logic to cell-based therapies and paved the way, as Parson sees it, for more advanced experimental zoology and biological science. These were followed by similar observations in other animals such as the salamander.
The proteus effect full#
In the first chapter, the author reviews observations made in 1740 regarding the regenerative capacity of the hydra - a freshwater organism, each part of which when severed from the rest is able to redevelop into a full animal. In the introduction, Parson attributes the following quote to biologist Evan Snyder: “even the dumbest stem cell is smarter than the smartest scientist.” I take issue with this statement, since although stem cells may do very complicated things, they do not have a mental process, and I hate to think that someone opposed to the use of embryonic stem cells for ideological reasons would pick up this phrase as supporting evidence that a zygote is equal to a human being. Pluripotential stem cells are found in the inner wall of the blastocyst and can produce almost all tissues, while multipotent stem cells can produce several cell types, including the hematopoietic cells that can reconstitute the blood and immune systems. A totipotential stem cell can produce all tissues, including the umbilical cord and placenta.
Parson’s book The Proteus effect: stem cells and their promise for medicine, named for the mythical sea god who could change his shape at will, begins with an excellent introduction that describes what stem cells are and distinguishes the different types.
0 kommentar(er)
