Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Genetics

We are always in a constant search. You may be on a search for your dreams, money, or even your loved ones. Well not for the chaps at the Erasmus Medical Center! Their researchers in the Department of Biology concerning stem cells have found some rather interesting information. Their findings are still in their infancy age and may not provide immediate breakthrough, however for future research, it is invaluable. Soon, their results may save many lives when pharmaceutical companies decide to create a medicine from their findings.

            Stem cells are cells that differentiate into specific cells that have their own role in maintaining the organism. The peeps at the Department of Biology have been using mice as test subjects. By using Vivo imaging, they were able to find hematopoietic cells in the dorsal aorta at the start of the mice embryonic stage. That was a mouthful to say. Let’s break that down shall we? Vivo imaging is the process used in order to monitor the functions of the cell and its molecular process. Hematopoietic cells are multipotent stem cells. As in, they are undifferentiated stem cells that are able to self-renew them self and differentiate into specialized cells with specific functions. Let’s look at multipotent’s etymology. Multi as in the stem cell can differentiate into different cells and potent as in its potential to differentiate into different specialized cells. Therefore, Hematopoietic cells are undifferentiated cells that can differentiate to all blood cell types. The Hematopoietic cells are responsible for blood production in the adult mouse. Next, the dorsal aorta is the vein from the yolk sac during the embryonic stage. So by using a process to view the molecular activity of mice during its embryonic stage, the researchers were able to find undifferentiated stem cells in the veins of the mice that is capable of differentiating into a specialized blood cell.

            The researchers cut embryonic slices and put them under the microscope to catch the hematopoietic cells in action. There are 2 protocols in doing the experiment. In protocol A, they flush the lumen first, and then proceed for an antibody injection. Then they slice the embryo and put it on a glass slide. The researchers then set the temperature at thirty seven degree Celsius and five percent Carbon dioxide and air atmosphere. Protocol B is very similar to protocol A in terms of procedure. It also flushes the lumen, except it doesn’t inject antibody. Then it also slices the embryo, however now it applies the antibody stain on the embryo. The same temperature and air atmosphere is kept for controlled variables.

Protocol A+B (top) Hematopoietic Cell's Location in mice (bottom)

            Additionally, Researchers from the Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA found a way to use the hematopoietic cells to cure the mice off its lethal radiation. This is just the beginning. Once the technology has advanced, and the research in this particular field has evolved, the same process can be done with humans, and will cure and save many fortunate patients. The day hematopoietic cells technology is moved into the human system, is the day where breakthroughs will be popping like firecrackers. 

            To help fasten up the research, modified mice can be created to create a setting for experiments. The researchers can use a haploid embryonic stem cell instead of a sperm to fertilize the immature egg cells. This haploid embryonic stem cell only contains the genetic material from the male mouse. Not only does this procedure enable easier reproduction of modified mice, we can also genetically alter the haploid embryonic stem cell in order to satisfy our need for our scientific research. The current procedures to produce genetically modified mice are made from embryonic stem cells which contains two copies of every gene from each of the mouse’s parent. It is a slow and uncertain process as the offspring may not retain traits and genes from their parents that the researchers require.  

            In conclusion, the additional hematopoietic cell discovered in mice has a lot of potential. It proved to us that it can ward off lethal radiation. By genetically altering the haploid embryonic stem cell, we can obtain a more precise modified version of the mouse to experiment on. In the future, the hematopoietic cells may be able to move to the human system after extensive research with genetics on hematopoietic cells until it is presumed safe enough to apply on humans. The age of research in this area is still very young and developing.

Work Cited

Catherine Robin, et al. "In Vivo Imaging Of Haematopoietic Cells Emerging From The Mouse Aortic Endothelium." Nature 464.7285 (2010): 116. Science Reference Center. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.

  

Lyons, Elisabeth. "From Embryonic Stem Cells, a Sperm Replacement and Easier Path to Genetic Modification." EurekAlert! Cell Press, 26 Apr. 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-04/cp-fes042312.php>.

SL, McKinney-Freeman, Naveiras O, and Daley GQ. "Hematopoietic Stem Cells." Isolation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells from Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells. (2008). PubMed. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18770632>.

Genetic Suppression Attack

            We live in a country where mosquitoes can compromise our health with diseases such as malaria. Scientists have been working to find a way to contain the population of the mosquitoes to prevent further casualties from the diseases that they transmit. When we encounter mosquitoes, what do we do? Slapping it, chasing it or spraying it with insecticide isn’t just enough. It’s still going to fly around us and constantly be a nuisance. The mosquitoes will inject its saliva once it finds an opportunity to bite you. This is the reason we itch every time a mosquito bites us. It is also a reason we want to end its life for abusing our skin and blood. However, researchers have found a way to genetically engineer mosquitoes to kill their own offspring. Well, that took them long enough.

            The mosquitoes are engineered to kill their own children by passing on a lethal radiated gene. These children will die before they even reach adulthood. This method is more environmentally friendly than insecticides; however, the side effects of these genetically modified mosquitoes are yet to be known. Since they were modified with a radioactive gene, these mosquitoes will not be as strong as the wild one. Their chance to find a mate will be significantly lower than the natural mosquitoes, making it pointless if they just died without mating. Some researchers have been releasing these modified mosquitoes without permission or in countries with low to no regulations regarding the matter. This causes even the supporters of the research to be worried. These mosquitoes have been released on Grand Cayman Island before and it has effectively reduced the population of the mosquitoes by 80% for three months. So, what’s your opinion about our little genetically modified weapon?

Bibliography

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/31/science/concerns-raised-about-genetically-engineered-mosquitoes.html?_r=3&pagewanted=1&ref=biotechnology

 Genetically Modified Mosquito (Left) and it's Egg (Right)

Cloning – The Ongoing Debate

           The next time you are strolling through your local market, be on a lookout for the products that you are purchasing. If you look carefully, you may be able to tell that some products may have distinct markings compared to its similar counterparts. One of them may be a product from a cloned subject. Question. Would you eat a product from a cloned animal? Say, would meat from a cloned cow fill your appetite?

            If you don’t mind it, then good news! The article from the “Institute of Science in Society” contends that the milk and meat from a cloned animal’s offspring would soon be on sale without labels. This means that you may end up eating or drinking a cloned cow’s milk or meat without knowing. Bright future indeed, however some people may find cloning unethical. The first sheep to be cloned on July 5, 1997 called Dolly had people getting off their chair. If Dolly was placed next to her natural sheep, then we wouldn’t be able to tell a difference. Could cloning perhaps be employed into the human society? Most people would argue that cloning humans would be too hard, as even Dolly was a result of 277 previously failed attempts. Clones would also not be totally “identical” to its natural counterpart. As we duplicate cells, it accumulates mutations overtime, causing the gene to differ slightly from its original cell. The cloned offspring may then be infected with disease that may not be known as of yet.

            Dolly was created by the somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Several attempts have been made using the method to create a cloned human. An American couple tried to pay $500,000 to a company called Clonaid for a clone of their daughter who has already been deceased. As stated before, cloning doesn’t ensure an identical clone. In the end, Clonaid didn’t succeed, however, even if they did, the clone may be ridden with diseases. Would the parents even want a cloned daughter that would remind them of their original deceased daughter? Anyways, do you still want to eat a cloned product?

Bibliography

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/genetic/human-cloning.htm

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Cloned_Meat_and_Milk_Coming.php