Friday, November 02, 2007
Mighty Mouse is Here!
Scientists at Case Western Reserve have bred a mouse that can eat loads, stay slim, and live longer.
By Michael Patrick Gibson
A new breed of mouse--for transhumanists, the ubermaus--is capable of running five to six kilometers at a speed of 20 meters per minute on a treadmill for as long as six hours before having to call it quits. This mouse can also eat 60 percent more than a normal mouse and yet remains in better shape, lives longer, and breeds well into old age.
The genetically modified mice were bred as part of research to study the metabolic role of the PEPCK-C enzyme in skeletal muscle. The key to the changes in these mice involves the overexpression of the gene for PEPCK-C.
But transhumanists take heed. In a press release, Richard W. Hanson, a professor of biochemistry at Case Western and an author on the paper announcing the findings, warns against using the research to enhance humans:
"The technique used to create the animal model reported in our study is not appropriate for application to humans. The ethical implications are such that this approach should not be used in humans, nor is it technically possible at this time to efficiently introduce genes into human skeletal muscle, in order to mimic the effect seen in our mice."
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Comments
Of all the media sources, one would expect Tech. Review to me more open minded and enthusiastic about new technologies.
nilincic
11/03/2007
Posts:1
I have often wondered about low carb diets that some people rave about. These mice burn burn fatty acids and not glucose for energy. They produce only tiny amounts of lactic acid, the byproduct that builds up in muscles and causes cramps with overexercise.
Maybe some humans are genetically programmed to do the same? Switch to lyposis - which means burning of fat.
rajnz
11/04/2007
Posts:25
In this ignorant and hostile environment a researcher needs to be very careful on how the results are framed and presented to the public. The statement this research group made is a "preemptive statement" to avoid controversy. Very smart on their part (James Watson should pay attention and take notes).
gabrielg01
11/04/2007
Posts:418
Politics and science don’t mix. The Catholic Church forced Galileo to recant and proclaim that the Sun revolved around the Earth, but he knew the truth and muttered under his breath in Latin "Eppur Si Muove" - and yet it moves (the Earth) - just like evolution, inexorably on.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, ..." dare anyone point out that it is not "self-evident", rather quite to the contrary, and he risks being crucified – no matter if he happens to be James Watson.
rajnz
11/05/2007
Posts:25
Seriously, why would we be experimenting with the mice if it wasn't to learn how to improve human health?
wthomasoh
11/05/2007
Posts:2
phoenix
11/05/2007
Posts:172
Speaking for myself, if I have a potential scientific breakthrough that could potentially generate millions of dollars my way, don't anyone think I wouldn't consider my own body to test with. Ok, maybe not my own body, but who is in a position to stop me from using my own children, or even my own mother's body to do further research with?
"Thanks, Mom!"
Technical writers tend to be dry and unimaginative, sticklers only for the facts when they write articles, and rightly so, I suppose. So I thought I'd spice up the readers thoughts to this story with a dash of belated Halloween humor.
mergatroid
11/06/2007
Posts:20
And even if you do all these things, it is still useless, because biological knowledge needs to be validated on a population (hence clinical trials) 2-3 individuals won't do.
gabrielg01
11/06/2007
Posts:418
Razzo
12/31/2007
Posts:1