A most amazing advancement in stem-cell-research has been made recently, according to the National Geographic. Before we get started I’d like to mention that a lot of people have discredited this story based on it’s lack of evidence and the strange way in which the “facts” are portrayed. Whether or not this concept is actually as powerful as it makes out remains a mystery for the time being, but as you’ll know if you spend any time on this site; it’s more about the concept than the final product.
Dr. Jorg Gerlah appears in a video featured on the National Geographic website which rivals some of the more outlandish science fiction scripts. The suggestion is that a scientific spray gun which is designed to dispatch stem cells controlled by processors and computer chips has been conceived. The particular purpose of this spray is to heal. It’s made up of cells which are taken from the patient and made into a cocktail that allows it to be applied directly onto the skin – encouraging regeneration. This is tissue engineering in it’s most accessible form - supposedly allowing anyone who has suffered damage to their skin to regrow an exact replica of the previous form.
The video in question shows a policeman who has been accidentally burned during a party – although it’s exactly the sort of thing anyone in the emergency service could do with after suffering accidents at work. There are a few vague suggestions as to “what he looked like” and some footage of his perfectly cured skin. Watch the video here – aside from the questionable examples it’s definitely interesting!
Stem cell research has always been an area of great concern for many people around the world – it is easy to question the ethics behind “playing God” and giving authorities the power to rebuild human forms as they see fit. Certainly the methodologies at the moment require extreme testing (like the famous ear-backed-mouse) and it could spell a dangerous step into a world of acute egotism for the human race at large. There are, of course, examples in nature already:
Sally, an axolotl salamander is beginning to form a blastema, a cluster of stem cells, on her left arm. Salamanders are one of the few species that can regrow their limbs. Scientists are trying to unlock the genetic rules that govern salamander limb regeneration in the hopes of rewriting human genetic code to tip the balance away from scar tissue formation and in favor of regeneration.
But then; I’m not sure how often Salamanders let world domination and evangelism go to their heads. One way or another, we’ll be keeping a close eye on this to see how it ends up going!
