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QUESTION 1: Where do Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hES cells) come from? What are some of the ethical implications of using hES cells for medical research?

From Walter Sobchack: Q1 = hES cells are cells that come from the Inner Cell Mass of blastocysts from IVF. There are eethical implications with using hES cell because blastocyst does not survive the process needed to obtain the inner cell mass cells.

From Manka: Q1 = hES can be derived from the inner cell mass which is the blastocyst or a new embryo. This has ethical implications because although they can help with certain diseases such as diabetes, it also kills the blastocyst in the process. This would cause problems because it is sort of like abortion and that is a major ethical issue.

From DA BULL: Q1 = Human Embryonic stem cells come from the Inner Cell Mass of surplus blastocysts. We were all once a blastocyst and this is an ethical implication because these are future humans being destroyed.

QUESTION 2: Dolly the sheep is a genetic twin, or clone, of a sheep that was born 6 years earlier than Dolly. Read the material for today. Does Dolly have parents? If so, who were her genetic parents? Is Dolly a "virgin birth"?

From Erica: Q2 = It seems like Dolly's parents would be the same parents as her clone...even though they didn't conceive her, if they are twins, they have the same parents.

From PICK ME PICK ME: Q2 = She has genetics parents in the sense that there were two cells, a male and female cell that created her which would be the same parents of the sheep that was born 6 years earlier. In terms of who raised her I'm not sure. Dolly is a virgin birth in the sense that the embryo was implanted in her birth giving mother becuase the sheep didn't have sexual intercourse to produce a baby.

From Cutiepatootie: Q2 = 1.Dolly is a genetic twin of a somatic cell. I would say that her mother is a female dorset ewe. No, i dont think dolly is a virgin birth. She had to come from somewhere. But then again, no animals had to actually have sex for her to be here. Umm.

From Sugar: Q2 = If Dolly had any parents they would be the same as the orginial sheep. Dolly was a virgin birth because there were no sexual relations involved!!

QUESTION 3: The Cloning Academy Awards: Can you think of any movies that center around cloning, or are based around DNA in some way? If so, what is the 'take-home message' of that movie?

[Plot Summary: Messing around with DNA = Don't do it!!!]

Q3 = When I think of movies about cloning and DNA, I automatically think of Jurassic Park. Even though it is about dinosaurs, it leaves you with a pretty strong take-home message. CLONING IS BAD!!!!!!!!!
Q3 = Multiplicity........ Don't clone..........You get Stupid.....
Q3 = I work at a movie theater and we showed The Sixth Day with Arnold Swarzanegger or however he would spell it....Anyway, it was centered around human cloning in the future and exposed the audience to both sides of the issue...However, it is an Arnold movie so lots of stuff blew up and people died about every 5 minutes...All in all...cloning is bad in the movie....and so was Arnold.
Q3 = The 6th Day. Arnold Schwarzenegger should retire!
Q3 = The only one i can think of is Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. what an awful movie! maybe if they had expressed some stance on cloning, then it would have actually have been worth my $6.50.
Q3 = Gattaca. It is a movie that centers around DNA. If you have 'good' DNA then you are considered as an above average person and are eligible for certain jobs. If you have 'bad' DNA then you receive the not so pleasant jobs.
Q3 = Austin Powers, The Spy Who Shagged Me. Scott, the son of Dr. Evil, believes that he is a test tube baby, and mini-me, Dr. Evil's clone (although eight times smaller) gets more attention and love. I am not going to expound on the possible message of Austin Powers, but I will say that it is a classic in irreverent comedy. Do not rent for intellectual stimualtion, only spiritual satisfaction : )
Q3 = "X-men." In the movie, there are people called mutants whose genes have been mutated to give them special powers. It basically tells people that mutated genes are capable of giving humans special powers.
Q3 = Termanator. you can make DNA into a killing machine no matter if you kill it "I'll be Back" - because they can make more.
Q3 = Multiplicity= The scientist wanted to have help around the house. Then he wanted someone to go to hi job for him. And someone to take care of the kids. The take home mesage is there is just nt enugh ofyou to go around. And yet this is you life appreciate what you have.
Q3 = Bladerunner is a movie that centers around cloning. They made clones, I think to serve as soldiers in the army. I think the message that the movie offers is that once you start messing around with cloning human beings you are in for trouble because they are going to have minds of their own, wills of their own and it is highly possible that they will be very mad at you if they feel you haven't done a good job or that they are just slaves and science expiriments. In the movie the DNA in the clones was just so that their life expectancy was only 25 years or something like that, so they came back and killed thier maker when he told them their genetic programming couldn't be changed and he couldn't lengthen their lives.
Q3 = I used to watch Guiding Light (the soap opera) and they cloned one of the main characters, Reva. Even though she had not really died, they thought she did and her clone ended up aging so fast that no one really got to experience the real "Reva" until the actual one showed up again. The take-home-message to me would be that no matter what you will never be able to have the same person back no matter what so don't even try.
Q3 = Movie involving cloning: Multiplicity. Message: Cloning can bring up comedic situations that can all end in a satisfying way with no harm done, and if you're cloned, you must be married to Andie MacDowell!
Q3 = Fifth Element - Lelu was reconstructed by the DNA of a body part. In that case it was for the good of the salvation of the earth. Not only was her body reconstructed, so was her esence, her spirit. She was not reborn as a child, but as the adult she'd been upon her death. The cloning part of that movie was of little importance - just another day at the office...
Q3 = Jurrasic Park comes to mind off the top of my head. Maybe this isn't realistic but it makes me wonder what kind of crazy thing could we do with gentics and cloning. In other words the take-home message is scary, and lets you know that science is CRAAAAAAAAAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZYYYYYYYYY. Just like me.

Nominations from Dr. Marrs:

The Fly, with Jeff Goldblum. Man's DNA accidently mixes with fly DNA, with gruesome results. Get the fly swatter!

Sleeper, with Woody Allen and Diane Keaton. Futuristic (and funny) attempt at cloning a dead leader..

And my favorite for the under 10-set:

Pokemon: The First Movie: Although it seems like just another attempt by Nintendo to get our little ones to Catch 'em All, Pokemon: The First Movie is really a movie about Genetic Determinism. Plot summary: Scientists clone the Pokemon MewTwo from another Pokemon, Mew. MewTwo, angered to find out that he is 'just a clone', begins cloning other Pokemons in revenge. Our heroes Ash Ketcham and Pikachu confront the clones and save the planet. The film ends with the realization that fighting is wrong AND that an organism is more than their genes......MewTwo's ending speech: "I see now that the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It's what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are." (snif!)

QUESTION 4: [Totally optional] There are tremendous benefits to developing hES cells for treatment of diabetes, Alzheimers. etc. In your opinion, do these benefits justify their use in medical research, given that a human blastocyst must be used to obtain the cells?? Remember that only surplus embryos can be used to obtain hES cells. Embryos CANNOT be created for hES cells. (Your answers will be kept confidential!)

From Dr. Marrs: Thank you for your thoughtful and serious answers to this question. These are tough decisions...the embryos are "surplus" (many of you - and many people in society - do NOT like this term...!) and would have been discarded anyway...but all the potential to become a new human is there. People with spinal cord injuries, diabetes, heart damage, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's may have one perspective, people who are relatively healthy might not see the potential benefits of these cells.... Some people's religious beliefs will not allow then to accept any possible benefit that may result, given that a human blastocyst must be used to obtain the hES cells, others may see the use of these blastocysts as little different than agreeing to organ donation after a loved family member has died... Legislating the development and use of hES cells is something our US Senators, Representatives, and our Esteemed Pres G.W. will probably decide on very soon! See the News page for more details!

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