美科学家成功克隆人体胚胎

2008-01-18
[source: cnn.com, cri.cn]

　　美国加州的科学家表示，他们已经采用2名志愿者的皮肤细胞，成功克隆出了5个人体胚胎，进而可以开发出有科学价值的干细胞。此成果发表在17日出版的《干细胞》杂志上。

　　The cloning approach involves inserting DNA from a person into an egg, and then growing the egg into an embryo about five days old before extracting the stem cells. At that stage, the embryo is a sphere of about 150 cells.

　　Scientists say stem cells from cloned embryos could provide a valuable tool for studying diseases, screening drugs and, perhaps someday, creating transplant material to treat conditions like diabetes and Parkinson's disease.

　　But critics raise objections. The process "involves creating human lives in the laboratory solely to destroy them for alleged benefit to others," said Richard Doerflinger, spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.