Gene Therapy Successfully Regenerates An Old Organ!

Astyanax
reply to post by soficrow

 

do you have an answer to my question? Or is your answer 'I am a Lamarckist'?

A Lamarckist would not recognize the distinction I am pointing out.

LaMarck said acquired characteristics can be inherited - and yes, as you say, epigenetic effects can be inherited. However, not all epigenetic processes result in heritable effects because epigenetic effects are reversible - but the very real, if temporary, effects are indeed epigenetic. So okay, LaMarck was partially right.

EPIGENETICS & THE ENVIRONMENT

The epigenome dynamically responds to the environment. Stress, diet, behavior, toxins, and other factors regulate gene expression.

soficrow
reply to post by SaturnFX

 

WRONG!

Not wrong..its the headline of the source. Actually, my ops plays it down a bit from the article.

Non-invasive gene manipulation = gene therapy.

TheOneElectric
the 21st century will begin the golden age of humanity.

I love the way you think mate, and ultimately I share the same (cautious) optimism as to where it is all heading.

I will say however, this is not a global golden age. it is a western golden age, and from there, only the fairly wealthy on up will truly benefit the most from it all..not going to pretend its different. The poor of the rich west, and the poor nations in general will not gain much in the short or mid term for all these advances.

But such is the way of life sadly...make the best with what you have, and if you can remember, try to help out someone who didn't have the same luck or opportunity as yourself...we will all get there in the end hopefully.

beezzer
reply to post by SaturnFX

 

"By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.
Open, locks,
Whoever knocks."

-Macbeth, Act 4, Scene 1

I guess you can color me a skeptic. I see this as something great for diabetics, people with organ disease, but my mind immediately goes to scenarios where this technology can be abused.

We are a species where knowledge has far outpaced wisdom.

Hope for the best.

But...how would it be abused?
repairing and regenerating old organs...

I can see only positives...now, positives for everyone or only those with enough means is a question, but that's not really abuse verses..well, just a fact of capitalist life.

reply to post by SaturnFX

Not wrong..its the headline of the source. Actually, my ops plays it down a bit from the article.

Non-invasive gene manipulation = gene therapy.

The source was wrong - this is epigenetic therapy, not gene therapy - good on you for playing it down. Epigenetic therapy deals with processes that affect gene expression. Gene therapy goes straight for the genes.

What is Gene Therapy?

...By adding a corrected copy of a defective gene, gene therapy promises to help diseased tissues and organs work properly. ...

Most commonly, gene therapy uses a vector, typically a virus, to deliver a gene to the cells where it's needed. Once it's inside, the cell's gene-reading machinery uses the information in the gene to build RNA and protein molecules. ...