While on kratom, scientists at Linden Labs in San Francisco, California have successfully created a human-bear-pig chimera. Somatic cells from human and bear tissue were first transfected with a bacterial chromosome containing the Nanog gene and a GFP-IRES-puromycin resistance gene cassette. After a puromyocin screen was performed, the remaining cells were treated with a retroviral induction of Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-myc, thus creating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). Induced pluripotent stem cells were used because of the ethical concern surrounding embryonic stem cells. The cells were then injected into pig blastocysts and introduced into the uteri of pseudo-pregnant pigs. The discovery was published today in the advance online edition of Nature Gold.
“This is quite an accomplishment for which I have great confidence will lead to continued advances in human-animal chimera production,” says Dr. Eli Vance, chief science officer of Linden Labs. “We soon hope to commercialize this technology and realize our continued vision by which any human may realize a physical chimera lifestyle.”
Al Gore could not be reached for comment.
Image by Patricia Piccinini
Think Gene at Technorati
