Mice with Human Brains!

[anonymous1515]

I recently read an article in the Globe and Mail (a Canadian national newspaper) that discussed the work of scientists who were beginning to genetically engineer mice to produce more human-like brains by inserting human genes into the mice genome.

Unsurprisingly, this sparked quite an ethical debate. Any thoughts on the issue?

 

[Trashionista]

I'm against animal testing, so I can't back this up.

Link? There must be a reason why this is being done

 

[anonymous1515]

Yeah, apparenlty I havent made enough posts to post a link for it. It can be found somewhere on the Globe and Mail's website.

Well, one of the reasons they are doing it is because by growing mice with more human-like brains, they can determine the quality/safety/efficacy of drugs with better certainty. Lots of drugs work fine on animals, but don't work so well on humans. This is one way to avoid testing harmful drugs on humans.

 

[anonymous1515]

Google "Mice with Human Brain Cells Created". It's also featured in national geographic.

 

[Tissue]

Looks like we'll be having a NIMH on our hands.

My concerns on this depend upon the extent that the brains actually are human. I've a feeling it takes more than a few human brain cells in a rat to give it the characteristics we use to distinguish ourselves from the irrational animals.

This might bring about a medical breakthrough, actually.

 

[anonymous1515]

That is true. I agree 100%! However, there are clearly lots of religious folk that are opposed to the procedure. I wonder from what passage in the bible these critics are getting their arguement from?

 

[LJSGM]

wouldn't it be cute to have a pet that could talk back to you and dance and sing, maybe even cook?!!!

I know, we could make mouse slaves, who do our bidding for us, although, they would have to genetically modify them to be a bit bigger I think.

 

[anonymous1515]

Haha...yeah, that would be cute. But also freaky. And at what point would you consider them human?

 

[Annabel Lee]

A real life Pinky and the Brain!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iJPFSNu_QNs

 

[anonymous1515]

Narf!