US scientists have mixed artificial human cells with the embryos of a chicken in a bizarre experiment that grew bone and nerve structures.
US scientists have mixed artificial human cells with the embryos of a chicken in a bizarre experiment that grew bone and nerve structures.
The study into the early forms of human development was carried out by a research team at the Rockefeller University in New York, and made use of embryos from avian test animals and artificial cells designed to replicate human tissue.
Published in the journal Nature, the stem cell research delves into the complex evolution of important human organs like the brain, lungs, liver, as well as bone structure. By understanding the growth of such structures, the defined pathways of certain cells, its hoped scientists can reverse engineer diseases which impact them.
For the study, researchers grafted clusters of human cells onto genuine chicken embryos and found that the mix developed a spinal structure as well as early stages of nerve tissue. It’s the first time scientists have achieved such a feat. While it’s unlikely that hybrid mutant-chicken-people will now be grown in labs, the study does highlight an interesting reaction of DNA from two entirely different species.
According to the Brivanlou, the fact that the human cells developed into parts of a spine and the chicken tissue formed separate neuroanatomy indicate signalling or defined pathways exist.
While the study has been hailed as a step in advancing regenerative medicine not everyone is pleased, with some online commenters fearing the worst.
The study into the early forms of human development was carried out by a research team at the Rockefeller University in New York, and made use of embryos from avian test animals and artificial cells designed to replicate human tissue.
Published in the journal Nature, the stem cell research delves into the complex evolution of important human organs like the brain, lungs, liver, as well as bone structure. By understanding the growth of such structures, the defined pathways of certain cells, its hoped scientists can reverse engineer diseases which impact them.
For the study, researchers grafted clusters of human cells onto genuine chicken embryos and found that the mix developed a spinal structure as well as early stages of nerve tissue. It’s the first time scientists have achieved such a feat. While it’s unlikely that hybrid mutant-chicken-people will now be grown in labs, the study does highlight an interesting reaction of DNA from two entirely different species.
According to the Brivanlou, the fact that the human cells developed into parts of a spine and the chicken tissue formed separate neuroanatomy indicate signalling or defined pathways exist.
While the study has been hailed as a step in advancing regenerative medicine not everyone is pleased, with some online commenters fearing the worst.