# Japanese create brain tissue from stem cells

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-create-brain-tissue-from-stem-cells/471641>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 7, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-create-brain-tissue-from-stem-cells/471641 "2008-11-07T15:47:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-create-brain-tissue-from-stem-cells/471641/1 "2008-11-07T15:47:10Z")

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[Link](http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081106/ts_afp/healthsciencestemcelljapan)

> [@](#):
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> Stem cells taken from human embryos have been used to form tissues of the cerebral cortex, the supreme control tower of the brain, according to researchers at the government-backed research institute Riken.
> 
> The tissues self-organised into four distinct zones very similar to the structure seen in human foetuses, and conducted neuro-activity such as transmitting electrical signals, the institute said.

Science marches on, despite the best efforts of the fundies - just not in America.

It’s going to be fascinating to watch biology and medicine in the next few decades.

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**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-create-brain-tissue-from-stem-cells/471641/2 "2008-11-07T16:27:59Z")

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Do you read your links very closely? If you did you’d find this:

> [@](#):
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> Riken said cortex tissues were also obtained from “induced pluripotent stem cells,” which are similar to embryonic stem cells but artificially induced, typically from adult cells such as skin cells.

Now, I know of nobody who opposes research or treatments using these kinds of stem cells - at least not in appreciable numbers. So there you go.