The thing is, if one really was able to get an “embryonic stem cell” with this methodology, then those cells are essentially nascent embryos, as each individual cell can be implanted in a blastocyst in a woman’s uterus and grown to full person. These cells can grow to create any cell in a person’s body, except for the placenta, which one does not normally consider as part of the child. Whatever “essence” or “soul” a person has (if any), it is contained in each embryonic stem cell, whether created or extracted from an embryo.

Thus, the controversy, I think, remains, whether the new stem cells are put back into a blastocyst or just cultured in a dish.

Until this recent stem-cell research finding the primary source of stem cells was embryos. If stem cells can now be produced from skin cells, and not embryos, then the ethical objection to creating embryos for the purpose of harvesting stem cells is not invoked, because no embryos are created.

If a skin-derived stem cell can somehow be induced to become a muscle cell, without ever being part of an embryo along the way, then no potential person is ever involved and the ethical dilemma of using embryos IS sidestepped, contrary to your claim.

If a skin-derived stem cell is used to create an embryo as a necessary intermediate step along the way to making a muscle cell, then of course your point is valid.

But still, I don’t know if this sidesteps any of the ethical considerations of destroying embryos, since thousands of embryos are destroyed every year in fertilization clinics. One can’t be against embryonic stem cell research without also being against in vitro fertilization clinics.

As for the technical aspects, using retroviruses is a standard gene insertion technique. That the genes inserted (at least for one group) are oncogenic is not surprising, since tumor cells often exhibit de-differentiation as well. I think mainly this research is not useful therapeutically, but as research into the “stem cell program” that distinguishes stem cells from normal cells. Once we can figure out what exactly is different about these cells, one can perhaps pick out better targets that aren’t so oncogenic.

For therapy, at least for now, nothing beats using embryonic stem cells in the first place.

In any case, I’m not really sure I understand your point, anthony. I support embryonic stem cell research fully, and I’m saying that those who are uncomfortable with such research shouldn’t take this new research as a “workaround” to their own moral discomfort.

[Also, Eric, did you activate the "text message comment" feature? The above comment sounds like it was written on someone's cell phone in a fit of indignant rage.]

i sense a religious undertone in the blurb i read, ive said this before and i cant stress this enuf on the subject of abortion [for example] its set in motion on this planet,like greed ,and it wont slow down. as long as people get lazier ,there will be abortion doctors makin money on them. do you understand what im saying???? so do everyone a favor and shut your mouth, cause parylyzed people like me, dont give a fuck about you and your “MORAL DILLEMA” doctors find a solution to embryonic research that millions could benefit and you find a another hurdle to put up!!! ‘GOD IS AN IMAGINARY FRIEND FOR GROWN UPS” do not ever,ever under estimate that statement. u pathetic, BLIND, useless to me and millions others, degenerate!!! now this is the best part , ive got you thinkin…..wow hes really frustrated and maybe clinically depressed??? wrong, being in a chair you are more in tune with what goes on around you,its like losing sight and your other senses heightend, you realize that the world is more black and white, that people would rather stress themselves to the max with simple problems. then pathetic people like you bring in the moral issues. i read an interesting poll last spring,where north americans are “losing the faith ” when it comes to religion,that made my day. SO heres a scenario, we could say GOD is the intelligent designer,then why would he make our bodies susceptiple to a disease like cancer??? “oh” you say, he takes them so they can be angels and help him!!! then why make those people, evan children suffer for lenghts of time with this horrific disease??? intelligent design??? no, a well designed, lenghty, historically drawn out hoax!!!!!