Glowing cat new tool in Aids research

[Cirque du So-What]

Source: Reuters

Glowing cat new tool in Aids research

September 12 2011 at 10:19am
By Julie Steenhuysen

REUTERS

A cat which has been genetically altered to make cells that resist a version of the Aids virus that affects cat.

Chicago - US scientists have developed a strain of green-glowing cats with cells that resist infection from a virus that causes feline Aids, a finding that may help prevent the disease in cats and advance Aids research in people.

The study, published on Sunday in the journal Nature Methods, involved inserting monkey genes that block the virus into feline eggs, or oocytes, before they are fertilised.

The scientists also inserted jellyfish genes that make the modified cells glow an eerie green colour - making the altered genes easy to spot.

Tests on cells taken from the cats show they are resistant to feline immunodeficiency virus, or FIV, which causes Aids in cats.

Read more: http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/news/glowing-cat-new-tool-in-aids-research-1.1135539

---

Even though it's for a good cause, I still hate to see animals subjected to the worst aspects of medical research.

[Ian David]

1. I, for one, welcome our new, AIDS-Resistant, Glowing Feline Overlords. n/t

[LiberalEsto]

3. +100

Here, kitty kitty
Nice kitty, niiiiice kitty
I agree to pay you a tribute of many nice fish

[Ken Burch]

4. "I CN HAZ CURE"?

n/t.

[potone]

6. I'm with you. NT

[Ken Burch]

2. If this has applications for humans, it will have amazing effects on the club scene.

n/t.

[ET Awful]

5. Did anyone else find it borderline hysterical that the name of the journal was "Nature Methods"?

Nature Methods - let's insert monkey and jellyfish cells into cats.

[guitar man]

7. We may get a big benefit from this

But we will pay a horrible, horrible price for it, mark my words.

More info here:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAfpq6EPKck&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[progressoid]

22. I CAN HAZ YOUR SOUL!!

:rofl:

[JackDragna]

8. I want a glowing cat!

That way, I can find them in the dark.

[apnu]

9. Or have a handy book light. (nt)

[Viva_La_Revolution]

10. but it will also

sit on the pages while you're trying to read!

[closeupready]

11. So true!

:rofl:

[Voice for Peace]

15. good point.. I am always tripping over my cats in the dark

they don't realize I can't see them (black cats)

[formercia]

23. A Pussy that glows in the Dark

makes it easier to find the Crabs.

[provis99]

30. you deserve to be thoroughly spanked for that one.

:spank:

[formercia]

32. I agree

Can we do it again Tomorrow? :evilgrin:

[Capitalocracy]

28. If they can see you in the dark, it's only fair. nt

[NCarolinawoman]

12. How many cats were harmed before the researchers got it "right"?

How long do the cats sit around in cages while these experiments are taking place? My guess is, FOREVER.

I also expect these cats all must be exposed (or injected?) with the aids virus.

When they get enough "glowing" cats, will they be held in cages just so their cells can be "harvested" when needed?



x(

[Cirque du So-What]

13. Yes, I was concerned about these poor animals being harmed as well

I'm very conflicted when it comes to animals being used in medical research. I cannot find it in me to place a higher value on human life than that of the research animals.

[Capitalocracy]

14. How about a group of dozens of animals suffering to save millions of humans?

I know it sucks, but even as a vegetarian, I'd rather see experiments done on animals to save human lives. They should, of course, be done as humanely as possible.

What the real crime here is is the fact that if they do come up with a cure, guess who's not going to get it? Anyone who doesn't have a wad of cash to spend on it.

[The2ndWheel]

18. Human experimentation for human progress

We wouldn't want to privatize the profits and socialize the costs. No, that's what greedy corporations do. All those experiments would be voluntary of course, for the good of all. If nobody volunteers, then the experiments aren't done. That's fair for all humans and non-humans involved.

[Capitalocracy]

19. I think it's a little more complicated than that

and I'm pretty sure I won't convince you and we'll have to agree to disagree on this one, but without studies on animals, any scientific advancement in curing devastating human diseases would be a veritable holocaust. So it's either use animals for some testing, or put humans through extremely unethical risks, suffering, and death, or cause significant human suffering and death by inaction.

And I'm not talking about stuff like cosmetics here. Animal testing on frivolous products is something I'd stand with you against. But when it comes to medicine, I'm going to have to opt for some animal suffering rather than massive human suffering.

[The2ndWheel]

24. If it's for our benefit, we should be willing to pay the cost

Have the government regulate the whole enterprise, and add a few digits through increased taxes on the wealthy to the bank accounts of those brave volunteers willing to be experimented on.

[Capitalocracy]

25. Large payouts to study participants is actually viewed as an ethical violation

in the scientific community. They have a very fine line to walk when it comes to ethical treatment of human study participants, because it has to be voluntary, and it has to be compensated, but excessive compensation is coercion and affects people's ability to make the rational decision to participate, thus making the study less voluntary. They also have to make it clear to people that participating in a study for a new drug treatment of a disease is NOT treatment of the disease, when a lot of people want to participate in studies hoping they'll be cured.

Ethics in medicine and drug research is a very difficult and complicated area.

[The2ndWheel]

27. Which is why we've turned to life that can't say no, fight back anymore, volunteer, or be paid

That way, we decrease the need to face any of the reasonable questions that have come up as a result of the past. Sure, we come up with more self defined humane ways to conduct the experiments on non-human life, but it's not like anyone could stop anything from happening anyway. Especially on the important medical matters.

It's just one of those things in life I guess. We always call for those that benefit the most from a given activity to pay the most, as that's fair. Doesn't always work out that way though. So whether it's a small percentage of the financial elite of a single species, or a single species within the totality of life on the planet, it seems to work the same way. Then again this whole human ascension project has increasingly socialized the costs to the rest of life, making the results unsurprising.

[marasinghe]

34. well, yes; but - don't you know the great sky god created us overlords of his creation ....

and put all these little kittys on the planet so we could experiment on them & find a cure for the diseases that he also created so we wouldn't get too complacent & take him for granted, but remember to go say hi to him in his big house every sunday, or friday, or whenever.

and again not get too cocky, remember that he made some of us humans - those who faithfully believe in the big word he gave us (contradictory though his messengers might be in getting their different versions across in speech, or on paper) - are superior to those of us who don't have the grace to accept thousands of totally illogical propositions on faith. and those true believers have been put on this planet to rule it, and go forth & flourish.

so, those kittens are really at the bottom of the barrel; and they just deserve everything they get, first - for not having the chops to be born human for the atheist rationalists among us; and second - for not having the chops to be born god worshipers - for the believers amongst us.

:puke:

[KansDem]

16. They "glow?"

With three housecats, I could walk through the house at night without having to turn on lights. Too often I find myself playing "kitty soccer" if I don't...

[NashVegas]

21. Gotta Protect the Patent Royalties

Making the cat glow green identifies which cats are patented.

[lurky]

17. Here's the photo:

http://www.iol.co.za/polopoly_fs/iol-scitech-sept-12-glowing-cat-1.1135538!/image/3015667821.jpg_gen/derivatives/box_300/3015667821.jpg

That's just badass.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

26. Wow. Here's another pic of the little guy.

How wild is that? I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it, but it is definite wild.

[aquart]

20. Not very helpful for night hunting, of course.

[booley]

29. yeah but

considering the deleterious effect cats can have local wild life, this might be a good thing.

[No Elephants]

31. If it really helps, great.

[sarcasmo]

33. Kick.

[Mz Pip]

35. The warning labels would be interesting

Possible side effects include nausea, loose stools, lethargy and day-glow skin. Do not drink alcohol when taking this medication. Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight.

[ehrnst]

36. "Fluorescent Cat Totally about Medical Research," Say Scientists

"The fluorescent animal was developed to totally detect human illnesses and was absolutely not about four zoologists doing DNA research while funked off their nips on bog weed.

Professor Wayne Hayes, head of zoology at the Institute for Studies, said: "We think, like, maybe the cat starts glowing more near a sick person or something? Or maybe it changes colour? I don't really know.

"Basically, what happened was, we were sitting round our official research table when the cat jumped onto Dave's lap.

"Dave was like, 'fuck me, this thing is totally glowing' and I was like 'no it's not, you fucking cheesehead' and then I was like, 'what would happen if we actually made it glow?'."


http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/science-%26-technology/fluorescent-cat-totally-about-medical-research%2c--say-scientists-201109134295/