Michael West wants to use stem cell technology to end aging.
Summary of his talk:
He starts with ancient myths, first written as Oris and Isis. Life is immortal. Some types of cells are immortal.
As multicelled organisms developed, cells began to specialize. The germ line retains its immortality. Other cells sacrifice themselves, becoming somatic cells which shield and protect the germ cells but in the process loose their immortality.
We start aging in the womb.
One of the keys is the telemeres, the bits at the end of the chromosone which somatic cells cannot fix. But germ cells can. An enzime, telemerease, can restore the telemeres. In fact, plant the nucleus of a somatic cell into an egg cell (the current tech behind cloning, aka Dolly) and the egg cell will repair the telemeres to even younger than birth.
He has successfully implanted newly young blood system generating cells into old cattle, giving them both a young immune system and their vascular walls begin to rebuild. This tech could end coronary heart disease. Further, he has re-grown heart tissue, repairing the damage of a heart attack.
Regarding the ethics: A fertilized egg does not become a biological individual until about 14 days after fertization.
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