MadSci Network: General Biology
Query:

Subject: Can therapeutic cloning grow new blood vessels to treat arteriosclerosis?

Date: Wed Aug 22 11:08:44 2007
Posted by J.M.
Grade level: grad (non-science) School: University
City: Berne State/Province: BE Country: Switzerland
Area of science: General Biology
ID: 1187806124.Gb
Message:

-I am a graduate law student currently writing about the international 
regulation (generally and from a trade perspective) of therapeutic cloning.
-Is my understanding of therapeutic cloning correct? This involves 
transplanting a patient’s DNA (nucleus of a body cell) into an unfertilized 
egg in order to grow stem cells, which have the ability to become any type of 
cell in the body. The nucleus of the egg cell is removed and after being 
shocked the egg will begin to divide so as to form an early stage embryo. This 
embryo will have the same DNA as the patient. Scientists can compel the stem 
cells to become the cells that they desire. 
-Now my question:
Tumour cells have the ability to stimulate the growth of blood vessels. So 
could one possibly abuse these tumour cells for their ability to create new 
blood vessels so as to treat arteriosclerosis? Could therapeutic cloning 
engineer the artery cells so they contain this mechanism and thus grow new 
ones once current ones get blocked? What would be the implication for the 
blood circulatory system/body?
-Question/answer applied to trade:
If this technology would work, would a company produce a drug that allows the 
creation of new blood vessels on the basis of this mechanism or would the 
medical professional transplant these engineered cells? After all, this is 
done with bone marrow transplantation, i.e. blood stem cells.  
Could this ability to create new blood vessels also be reversed slightly so 
that maybe non-vital blood vessels are temporarily inactivated as opposed to 
allowing blood flow? This could be of use for surgeries in that only inner 
blood vessels have blood going through them.

Many thanks for your very appreciated answer.



Re: Can therapeutic cloning grow new blood vessels to treat arteriosclerosis?

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