Natural Born Killer ...cells...

Ok, so here is a quick question for you folks out there: Did you know there are cells in your body right now that are able to target and kill some types of cancer cells?

No? Well, I did not know this either until a couple of weeks ago in my Anatomy & Physiology II class on the lymphatic system and immunological surveillance. The human body actually has a pretty sophisticated method for finding abnormal cells in the body; which includes bacterial cells, normal cells infected viruses, and abnormal growth cells (cancer).

Natural Killer cells are produced in the bone marrow by cells called hemocytoblasts (from which all blood cells originate), and then divide into lymphoid stem cells. At this point the stem cell, responding to various hormones, divides further into these NK cells. The NK cells' role is basically to seek and destroy. Interesting so far eh? The best part is coming...
NK cells are roaming throughout he body, and one comes upon an abnormal cell peppered with unusual surface proteins...it is time for action! The NK cell attaches to the abnormal cell and prepares for biological warfare by aiming it's golgi apparatus at the abnormal cell (think of a tank rotating it's turrent and fixing on a target). "Firing" commenses as the golgi apparatus releases hundreds of secretory vesicles filled with a protein called perforin, which as the name suggests perforate the target cell. As the target cells is inundated with perforins, small pores open up which disrupt the cellular activity within the abnormal cell by allowing the free passage of ions, proteins, and other intracellular materials into the cell. Obviously, at this point the cell can no longer maintain homostasis and ruptures! Three cheers for natural killer cells!

On a side note, scientists around the world are looking to unlock the secrets of natural killer cells as a possible cure for cancer. By reprogramming NK cells to recognize all cancer types...well, you know what that means... Check out the American Cancer Society to see how you can help.

There is also an excellent little animation here showing an NK cell attacking a cancer cell.

Yan Can Launch!

Today marks China'a second manned space mission with the launch of 2 astronauts on a 5 day orbital mission. China also announced plans to build factory on the moon, in the next 5 years, that will manufacture useless plastic doodads for American children...

Seriously though, you have to admire the Chinese people and the government for getting things accomplished. China's future goals include having a space station within 5 years, and to eventually put someone on the moon. I think they are set to be the world leaders in space exploration and technology very shortly for a number of reasons. The first is that they have a government that does not rely on popular approval to get things done, like the former Soviet Union. Secondly, the budget for the space program is $2.3 billion, compared to the United States' $16.9 billion. Obviously, with spending much less per project, more projects are bound to be completed in the same amount of time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4333158.stm

Stem Cell Mining

Scientists at the Roslin Institute (cloned Dolly the sheep) in Scotland report that they have been able to create parthenotes (embryos developed from a female egg, without the use of a male sperm; parthenogenesis from the Greek "virgin birth"), which have divided to about 50 cells. At his time however, embryonic stem cells have not been harvested because they do not occur until the cell division gets to about 100 cells.

Obviously, if you are in favor of stem cell research, then this is exciting news because it means that instead of dealing with fertilized embryos (and dealing with pro-life whackos) you can harvest stem cells from eggs that have been electrically induced to divide. These eggs can be donated by women, or gathered from women who have elected to be sterilized. I think this is a great step since it should alleviate many of the concerns about whether of not babies are being killed in the name of scientific experimentation. Also, I would imagine that this method would make it easier to harvest a greater number of stem cells as the scientists would not have to deal with human cloning and test tube fetus issues.
I am hopeful that this research will be allowed to proceed and provide new avenues for stem cell research, and that the naysayers will get off their high horse and recognize that the results scientists are looking for are not human clones. Instead, I hope the research goes into the realm of developing Natural Killer leukocytes that are able to recognize all forms of cancer, and therefore destroy them. With this method, chemo and radiation therapy would be eliminated and the death rate from these diseases would plummet. I would like to imagine that this research would allow the development of other cell mediated defenses against viruses and antibiotic resistent bacteria.

Institute of Stem Cell Research
BBC News: 'Virgin conception' first for UK

Tom Delay in deeper, and Bush goes all out

Two new felony charges were brought up against Tom Delay yesterday, including one for money laundering. What I find interesting is that his lawyers are seeking to get last week's charges thrown out on a legal technicality. So are they then admitting that the charges are true? I guess we will find out once the judge comes back from vacation. Another thing I find funny is that Delay keeps referring to the charges as politically motivated. Of course they are politically motivated!!! Everything is politically motivated, especially when Delay's two buddies have already been indicted on similar charges and are currently awaiting trial. Even if Delay had nothing to do with the alleged conspiracy and money laundering, he is an idiot for placing himself with people already facing charges for things that are always hot issues for Washington policians.

In other news, President Bush has nominated his very close advisor Harriet Miers for the next open Supreme Court position. This time Bush has managed to confuse both the Republicans and the Democrats in the Senate. The Republicans are not sure about her because she may not be conservative enough, and some Democrats look like they might support her. I am totally confused as to why the Republicans would think she may not be conservative enough. She is the personal advisor to President Bush. The President who has sunk us into massive debt, squandered huge surpluses, given tax breaks to large corporations and to the wealthy, preaches small government while making the government larger than ever, opposes gay marriage, favors overturning women's choice, and has started wars in two countries. Oh yes, I think she is completely wrong for the country...so the Republicans will most likely back her wholeheartedly.
Some key points here: White House counselor Dan Bartlett said on the Today show, that Bush had not Miers about her views on gay rights or abortion; Kyleen Wright, president of an anti-abortion group former known as Texans United for Life, stated that Miers donated $150.00 to the organization; Senator Brownback has stated "It has been my expectation that President Bush would nominate someone in the mould of Justices Scalia and Thomas", both Scalia and Thomas have voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.