X-Message-Number: 13932
Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2000 10:25:59 -0400
From: James Swayze <>
Subject: Re: CryoNet #13896 - #13912
References: <>


First, I didn't get a tuesday cryonet. Is it my mail servers fault? How do I get
it replaced?

CryoNet wrote:

>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message #13898
> From: "Terry Grossman" <>
> Subject: human replacement parts
> Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 08:08:07 -0600
>

snip

>

>  One problem with this technology, however, is that the "age" of the new organ
created is the same as that of the patient from which the cells are taken.  The
reason this is a problem is that in most cases, individuals needing replacement
organs are elderly.  If a new bladder is created for an 80 year old, with 
current technologies, that bladder will be 80 years old as well.
>

> In the next 10 or 20 years, it should be possible to create many additional 
tissue types such as replacement hearts, lungs, stomachs, etc.  Most of these 
organs will be used to replace diseased tissues in elderly patients.  Wouldn't 
it be ideal if we could harvest some cells from these patients today and store 
them for their own future use?  This technology now exists and, by taking 
advantage of it, 50 year olds who store some tissue specimens today would have 
their own 50 year old cells to create spare parts for their future use several 
decades from now.  Imagine developing a medical condition such as heart or 
kidney failure some years in the future and which would require organ 
replacement to restore health.  With today's technology, a cadaver transplant 
would be required, which has numerous associated problems.  With a stored tissue
sample, however, the doctors would simply take some of your cells, which had 
been stored way back at the turn of the century (i.e., right now) !

> and create the needed organ.  Spare parts on demand and taken from a younger 
you to boot!
> Long life and best wishes,
>
> Terry Grossman, M.D.
> Medical Director,
> Frontier Medical Institute
> 2801 Youngfield St., Suite 117
> Denver CO 80401
> (303) 233-4247


I  recall somewhere running across news that recent cloning research showed that
it actually made cells younger and that oddly enough successive cloning 
increased this effect. In the  report it was pointed out that the fellow who 
cloned Dolly erred upon not enough samples for his statement that olds cells 
beget old cells/sheep. Perhaps this was posted here and I know I saw it in 
mainstream science news.


Also, I had heard that human chromosomal telomers had been rejuvenated in 
experiment invitro and even invivo. So my question is, is it really certain that
tissue stored for organ or whatever tissue engineering will hold the original 
cells age. If the cloning research is correct then this would seem to not be the
case. As to telomer rejuvenation, could this be done to the stock tissue before
cloning/engineering it? Is this enough the reset the age of a parent cell or 
are there other factors involved?

Whichever is the case it's a good idea. I better start saving my pennies. ;)

James Swayze

--
"Quod de futuris non est determinata omnino veritas"
       NOSTRADAMUS 15TH Century

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=13932