Scientists Create Early Embryos That Are Part Human, Part Monkey

[McBell]

For the first time, scientists have created embryos that are a mix of human and monkey cells.

The embryos, described Thursday in the journal Cell, were created in part to try to find new ways to produce organs for people who need transplants, said the international team of scientists who collaborated in the work. But the research raises a variety of concerns.
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Scientists Create Early Embryos That Are Part Human, Part Monkey​

 

[darkskies]

Whoa.

 

[Secret Chief]

I don't see an issue as long as the embryos were donated after informed consent by the macaque monkeys, who presumably have chosen to live in the laboratories.

 

[Mock Turtle]

A bit worrying, given that it might eventually produce more intelligent humans.

 

[McBell]

A bit worrying, given that it might eventually produce more intelligent humans.

I am not sure they have enough monkey in them to be more intelligent than humans...

 

[McBell]

The article mentions the research is important for producing much needed organs for transplants.
My first thought was the Robin Cook novel "Chromosone 6"

Chromosome 6, Medical, Fiction, Novel, Robin Cook - Robin Cook​

 

[Aupmanyav]

For the first time, scientists have created embryos that are a mix of human and monkey cells.

That will be an 'humkey'.

 

[Regiomontanus]

That will be an 'humkey'.

Monkman?

 

[Revoltingest]

For the first time, scientists have created embryos that are a mix of human and monkey cells.

The embryos, described Thursday in the journal Cell, were created in part to try to find new ways to produce organs for people who need transplants, said the international team of scientists who collaborated in the work. But the research raises a variety of concerns.
​

Scientists Create Early Embryos That Are Part Human, Part Monkey​

Scotland's been doing that since the bronze age.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

I don't know, I just got done listening to this sam harris thing about cultivated meat before coming here.. too bad they can't just grow the organs like with cultivated meat .. if they could have like a form that the stem cells expand into, and then extract it like it was injection molding

 

[epronovost]

Scotland's been doing that since the bronze age.

Damn Scotts! They ruined Scotland!

 

[Daemon Sophic]

I don't know, I just got done listening to this sam harris thing about cultivated meat before coming here.. too bad they can't just grow the organs like with cultivated meat .. if they could have like a form that the stem cells expand into, and then extract it like it was injection molding

It would be nice, but the farmed “muscle” meat is just a tissue collection of cells, sort of like the spray on skin basal cell slurries used for burn wound healing. But more complex organs like lungs, kidneys, or hearts need to be actually grown so that the cells from embryonic stage onward can interact with one another and arrange themselves appropriately to form in-organ structures/microarrays that allow for a functional organ.
The last 40 seconds of the OP link are important, relating how now is the time that humanity has to really consider what we can/should/will allow/do with this advancing technology.
Are we going to tell that 3 year old with a growing rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart, “Pffft! Too bad kid. We feel that monkeys and pigs with human hearts are just icky.”

 

[Twilight Hue]

Whoa.

Planet of the apes, here we come.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Are we going to tell that 3 year old with a growing rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart, “Pffft! Too bad kid. We feel that monkeys and pigs with human hearts are just icky.

Or we could stop trying to play God and just accept that we're mortal, get sick and die. There's a lot of underground, secret research going on and this is just what they're letting us know about. Humans aren't very good at thinking long term about the consequences when we open Pandora's Box, or at least our "leaders" who foist these things on us are not, because it's certainly not you or I making those decisions.

 

[Samael_Khan]

Or we could stop trying to play God and just accept that we're mortal, get sick and die. There's a lot of underground, secret research going on and this is just what they're letting us know about. Humans aren't very good at thinking long term about the consequences when we open Pandora's Box, or at least our "leaders" who foist these things on us are not, because it's certainly not you or I making those decisions.

I, personally, would love to see half human/ other creatures all over the place. Like the Island of Dr. Moreau. We will never know what will happen until we open Pandora's Box, so why not?

 

[nPeace]

For the first time, scientists have created embryos that are a mix of human and monkey cells.

The embryos, described Thursday in the journal Cell, were created in part to try to find new ways to produce organs for people who need transplants, said the international team of scientists who collaborated in the work. But the research raises a variety of concerns.
​

Scientists Create Early Embryos That Are Part Human, Part Monkey​

That's just a step up from the other methods already being used.
They have been using pigs for some time now.

Xenotransplantation - Wikipedia
A worldwide shortage of organs for clinical implantation causes about 20–35% of patients who need replacement organs to die on the waiting list. Certain procedures, some of which are being investigated in early clinical trials, aim to use cells or tissues from other species to treat life-threatening and debilitating illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, liver failure and Parkinson's disease. If vitrification can be perfected, it could allow for long-term storage of xenogenic cells, tissues and organs so that they would be more readily available for transplant.

Xenotransplants could save thousands of patients waiting for donated organs. The animal organ, probably from a pig or baboon could be genetically altered with human genes to trick a patient's immune system into accepting it as a part of its own body.[citation needed] They have re-emerged because of the lack of organs available and the constant battle to keep immune systems from rejecting allotransplants. Xenotransplants are thus potentially a more effective alternative.

That's whats expected from science... building on previous work.
So it's no surprise to most of us, as we already see the direction science is headed.
No one will be surprised when Cyborgs with advanced AI are a common feature in everyday life either.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

Are we going to tell that 3 year old with a growing rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart, “Pffft! Too bad kid. We feel that monkeys and pigs with human hearts are just icky.”

you bring up a valid point.. well there might also be embryo or gene editing coming down the pike , and I don't know if that will offset the need for the chimera organ donors. I think I read that they can hardly foresee a lot of monogenic disorders at the embryo stage

 

[McBell]

Or we could stop trying to play God and just accept that we're mortal, get sick and die. There's a lot of underground, secret research going on and this is just what they're letting us know about. Humans aren't very good at thinking long term about the consequences when we open Pandora's Box, or at least our "leaders" who foist these things on us are not, because it's certainly not you or I making those decisions.

I am not a big fan of the whole "playing God" argument.
I mean the Terry Schiavo case is a prime example.
It was called Playing God when taking off of life support, but no one batted an eye when they played God putting her on it.