Scientists to create human-rabbit embryos

[UM-Bot]

Scientists are poised to press ahead with controversial plans to create hybrid human and rabbit embryos. It emerged yesterday that three British teams - including one led by Professor Ian Wilmut at Edinburgh University - are due this month to seek licences from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority allowing them to create embryos that are 99.9 per cent human and 0.1 per cent rabbit.

View: Full Article | Source: Scotsman

[Bella-Angelique]

So here we go again. Next stop, slave species. Hopefully they skip the one where they consider them self sustaining meat livestock. Some scientists have always had an alarming tendency to consider that which cannot speak as that which has no emotions or reason other than instinct.

[Fluffybunny]

So here we go again. Next stop, slave species. Hopefully they skip the one where they consider them self sustaining meat livestock. Some scientists have always had an alarming tendency to consider that which cannot speak as that which has no emotions or reason other than instinct.

I am not sure about the ultimate goals in this case, but my understanding is that the goal of stem cell research is not to create an entire being; rather to produce stem cells that can be transplanted into humans to repair damaged cells.

I don't think they are going to create a warehouse of "Harvey the 6 foot tall rabbit" creatures so that they can go in and hack out a kidney when one is needed; it is all on the cellular level.

[:PsYKoTiC:BeHAvIoR:]

I'm all for new discoveries, but one would think there's a line to be drawn, especially when playing God with life...

[Bella-Angelique]

If there is one thng we never seem to have a shortage of it is scientists that have a god complex.

[Uversa]

Some scientists have always had an alarming tendency to consider that which cannot speak as that which has no emotions or reason other than instinct.

yes its incredibly dim that isn't it, especially from such a self proclaimed intelligent lot.

[ThickasaBrick]

I really don't see what the problem is. Great idea skirting the edge of laws and ethics. I would like to see some rabbit-humans hopping around delivering mail for us. Might as well go all the way and create a football team of genetic freaks. Bull-men as running backs, Falcon-men for QBs great eyesight, Cheetah-men as wide-recievers. There could be unlimited posibilities, and all of them would be useful, if not out-right funny.

I think more geneticists need to do this type of research. Screw laws, and ethics are only a human concern. Rabbit-humans wouldn't see this as a problem after all, they wouldn't exist without this type of research.

[DevaDevil]

Even though I cannot agree with this "chimaera" research, I do have to say stem cell research will have enormous benefits for humankind in terms of longevity. And let's not forget that the fact they are using hybrids like rabbit cells and apparently cow cells with human dna in the first place is the public aversion against using the full human equivalent.

I don't think they are going to create a warehouse of "Harvey the 6 foot tall rabbit" creatures so that they can go in and hack out a kidney when one is needed; it is all on the cellular level.

Exactly my sentiment about stem cell research. The ideal is that stem cells can be used to make our own tissue more regenerative since stem cells aren't "programmed" to have a certain function in the body yet. And therefore can be used to help support your own cells.

Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. Serving as a sort of repair system for the body, they can theoretically divide without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive.

Furthermore, stem cells can be used to research common and deadly genetic diseases like cancer, or even the safety of new drugs. This could and would save millions of lab animals AND would be a better test since the actual human genome is used. Also in case of drug testing, the risk for test subjects in the later phase of the research would be less, since the drug is tested more profoundly before.

And there are actually tests going on now to see if "adult" cells can be used, as it seems they have more potential than previously accepted. This would relieve some of the issue, since the adult can consent to the use of his/her cells.

The debatable thing in all of this is whether or not you'd consider 1 single cell "life"

[Bella-Angelique]

Bull-men as running backs, Falcon-men for QBs great eyesight, Cheetah-men as wide-recievers.

The team owners would love this. No more multimillion dollar contracts, just a feed and vet bill.

[TeraLink]

Seems unanimous: this is wrong. I think it's even worse than others say it is because even cells count as life, two. A cell is a life. A prime example: the antibiotic.

TeraLink Was Here!

[SilverCougar]

They're not making hybrid beings... they're trying to make stem cells... So no, we're not going to have "Furries" running around being "slave species* They want to make little embrios to get stem cells so they can save lives, and maybe even help para and quadra palegics walk again.

[ShaunZero]

If they ever decide to create actual beings this way, I'm not for it. I think it'd be wrong, and yeah.. They'd be playing God. How do you think these "rabbit people" would feel knowing they were only an experiment? Seems like something out of a horror film.. >.>

[the Shadamaun]

They arent trying to make a person, or a hybrid being. They only want to make the goo that contains the stuff we are made of so they can study it to better the lives of everyone. If you believe life begins at goo, then dont eat yogurt. Or dont take a new kidney or lung, that was grown specifically for you, if you need one. But come on, a few cells is hardly a human life. Its GOO, for crying out loud.

(BTW, I never went to med school, but I saw an episode of ER once, so all of the terms I used in this post are medically accurate. )

[ShaunZero]

I'd feel weird having a lung or something that was GROWN. I don't know if I'd even take it. Yuk..

[Raptor]

I'd feel weird having a lung or something that was GROWN. I don't know if I'd even take it. Yuk..

But for many people it would be a choice between getting an artificially grown organ and surviving, or risking their life by waiting months on end for a 'real' donor. There's not really much room for option.

Anyway, a human/rabbit chimera, that's jumping in the deep end a bit, isn't it? You'd think that they would try going for two animals with similar genes.

[DevaDevil]

A cell is a life.

Do you really believe that? So every orgasm you have without reproducing is killing a few million lives? Or are sperm cells not considered cells?

[ShaunZero]

Do you really believe that? So every orgasm you have without reproducing is killing a few million lives? Or are sperm cells not considered cells?

You're killing a few million lives when you reproduce as well..

[SilverCougar]

I'd feel weird having a lung or something that was GROWN. I don't know if I'd even take it. Yuk..

Hmm.. die of heart failure... or get a heart grown so that I can live, and not have to wait on a long donar list.

Yeah, I can see where people wouldn't want that. ;P

Honestly, if we can clone *PARTS* Not.. whole bodies..(though I wouldn't mind having a whole new body cloned... this one's pretty well shot heh) then being able to get people the organs they need in transplants would be alot easier then hopeing someone far off dies and their organ's a match to whoever needs it. Less chance of rejection to if the part was grown spacificaly from your cells.

[Devoid]

All scientists should do is make a clean ,peaceful ,healthy world

[ShaunZero]

I'd definitley take it so I can live.. But I'd feel weird... Then again, I might feel unique. =D

That's my problem. I have conflicting opinions on EVERYTHING. If reincarnation is real, I must have been TONS of people.

Edited October 10, 2006 by Zero of Deism

[blu_shark_29]

I'm all for the stem cell research. It is a sad thing to see someone you love, young and full of life, whither in an unfair world simply because the list for a replacement organ was too long.

Hence the lovable factor of having a ready made, or made to order heart, kidney, etc.

As far as what constitutes a life, well that is entirely individual opinion. If you think it is, well that's alright. And if not, well that's alright too. Just don't attempt to force your opinion's on others, lol. It does no good. And that subject will be up for debate for a long time, and probably without scientific conclusion.

The hybrids? Well I agree that you would've thought they would've started experimentation with an animal closer to humans. But perhaps it doesn't matter, I've not been involved in the research, but maybe once the animal cell is cleaned out, it's like all the others, but officially speaking isn't human, so they get less flack. And maybe rabbits are just handier in the lab than the chimps are. We'll find out soon enough after the first transplant has been made and the patient sprouts wiskers...and a twitchy nose...

[Griffon]

This remind me of that book called Maximum Ride, they crafted bird DNA into some babies and then they grew into teenagers..and are being chased by wolf-men made the same way...

That would be awsome, woulf the baby have big ears and teeth? A real furry perhaps?

[Avinash_Tyagi]

The Island of Dr. Minger

[Virtual Particle]

Perhaps we will get to the point wee can make something like this....

Been there done that????

Any thoughts?

[UtahRaptor]

Yet again, I have to say this! It gets very boring after the first few thousand times.

Scientists are so preoccupied with whether of not they can do something, they don't stop and think about if they should!

Haveing human bunnies? WHY!!! What kind of significany purpose can this possibly serve!!!! There are other ways to research dieases!!! Now we need human rabbits running/hopping around???? Normal humans are bad enough! What exatly is this 1%? Are we going to have some funny looking people strolling around? Funnier looking than we do now? Man! People can't get much worse here. Are we going to have people roaming around with an overwhelming urge to lick their own butt once in a while? Or are they now going to poop little pellets? (not such a bad idea actually ) And are these "scientists" going to ask the human embrio's permission to do this? OF COARSE NOT!! And these freaks are going to go and mess around with other people's embrio's/children!! Why can't these freaks use their own?? But, no...... no, no, no..... That would be *gasp!* wrong! They could never do such a thing! Do you people actually think that it would stop there? Just 1%? If you do, then you have more head trauma than Curly from the 3 Stooges! This reminds me of Loony Toons and Tom and Jerry Cartoons. The human race has a VERY difficult time learning from their mistakes. This is the precise reason why history repeats itself!

Genetics and nature is DEFINITLY NOT something you screw with!

Nature has a VERY VIOLENT TEMPER when pushed too far!

Soon enough the human race will realize this.

But will it be too late by then?