Chimeras (Humans and Animals)

[sukibean]

An interesting article in National Geographic and linked by Slashdot:
Here.

It will be like X-Men come alive. They've already successfully made a few combinations... Personally, I'd love to have cat eyes because 1) they're beautiful and 2) you'd have nightvision.

Comments

[etai]

I saw that on the discovery channel. In fact, I know from my freshman biology class there already ARE hybrids. There was an oragatang (sp?) who could glow in the dark, because it was cobined with some starfish DNA.

But yeah, on the Discovery Channel, they wanted to try and use animal cells in humans. First things first, starfish possess incredibly regeneratable limbs (human finger tips do too)... so lots of medical uses.

[jeshii]

Regeneration?! That'd be bad ass. Too bad I'm already born...

[cryovirus]

Don't feel too bad about being already born. It may be possible to add the genes after the fact with a viral approach.

[etai]

Well, humans possess limited regeneration. Our fingertips, however, have incredible regenerative abilities. If our fingertips are cut off, they will regrow. So, if that, in itself, could be captured we could theorethically regenerate other things.

Of course, there is always that stem cells topic too. Both of these ideas would not require us to be hybrids. But besides that, even for those already born, it could be possible to "grow" something and then do a transplant. I mean, I doubt this would work of you were a quadrapelegic, but if someone had a failing kidney or something.

[jeshii]

Whatever the case, all this probably requires a lot of money, of which I don't and probably won't have. So, I expect if I lose my arm, I'll be looking to homebuilt robotics. ;)