Anyone else think the timing of the announcement of using cells from amniotic fluid

[SharonRB]

is very strange? This announcement was made just as they were getting ready to discuss stem cell research in the House (actually, Tom Harkin is speaking as I type).

Is this just a coincidence or is something else going on? Even though this type of cell will not be viable for as many things as embryonic stem cells, is it going to give some legislators an out?

Discuss.

:tinfoilhat:

[Benhurst]

1. Yes, the same thought occurred to me. NT

:tinfoilhat:

[Horse with no Name]

2. I read an "interesting" thread on this

and some convoluted ways that some had crafted for the amniotic fluid to be harvested.
However, my guess would be that it would have to be collected in a sterile manner and without vaginal secretions to make it viable.
Therefore, the only way that it could be harvested would be via amniocentesis...which endangers the life of an actual child instead of harvesting stem cells from embryos that would be destroyed anyway.
It just doesn't make sense.:shrug:

[Skidmore]

3. Nothing is coincidental in this government.

Everything is part of the big PR plan.

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. ding ding ding ding ding ding!!!

On the same note, with all of the "is it a terrorist attack?" news of the past few days, Tony Snow made a comment worthy of note: "Americans need to be reminded every once in a while".

[OwnedByFerrets]

6. And one should lose their job

for saying such things....when you hold his position, anyway.

[liberalnurse]

5. As a healthcare professional...........

Yes, indeed. I say, continue to push embryonic stem cell research while they "explore" the amniotic fluid cells. I sense that the amniotic source will be a weak contribution to the project once all is known. Next, they will be saying pregnant women's urine is a source!

[SharonRB]

7. LOL

I did hear a story on Good Morning America this morning, and they said that the cells from amniotic fluid could be used for more than adult stem cells, but not as much as embryonic stem cells. I got the feeling that they would use the fluid obtained from amniocentesis procedures already being performed -- not that they would perform them for the sole purpose of obtaining the fluid.

[NRaleighLiberal]

8. There is ALWAYS something else going on....I am confident of that!

[rox63]

9. I want them to fund both embryonic and amniotic stem cell research

Yes, I think they should see what they can get from the stem cells in amniotic fluid. But I don't want to them stop the research on embryonic stem cells, which are looking very promising.

[Warpy]

10. The timing is fishy and the "discovery" is bogus

They've long known about the presence of stem cells in cord blood, bone marrow, adipose tissue(fat), and amniotic fluid. The problem with all those cells is that they've been differentiated, programmed to become certain tissues. Trying to force them to become different tissues just kills them at this point. The only stem cells that are true blank slate cells that can become anything are from the blastocyst, sort of a soccer ball made of cells that haven't started to create a true embryo yet.

Once those cells have started to form the placenta, the blood, the collagen, and other tissues within a primitive embryo, something that happens very quickly when the blastocyst implants in the uterine wall, that ability to become all tissues is lost.

Eventually, they may be able to harvest stem cells from all tissues, but that's a long shot, especially with nervous system tissue. Since the latter is potentially one of the most useful, treating everything from Parkinson's to spinal cord injury, restricting the use of discarded blastocysts from IVF is stupid, shortsighted and cruel.

We're already a decade or so behind the rest of the world because of these churchly mediaevalists. I find that sad for a country that was on the cutting edge of medical research a very short time ago.