[HN Gopher] New lab-grown human embryo model produces blood cells
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       New lab-grown human embryo model produces blood cells
        
       Author : gmays
       Score  : 78 points
       Date   : 2025-10-14 18:22 UTC (4 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.cam.ac.uk)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.cam.ac.uk)
        
       | typpilol wrote:
       | We're growing humans ?
        
         | castis wrote:
         | We are not. These are embryo-like structures. Not actual human
         | embryos.
        
           | exe34 wrote:
           | they have no mouth even if they want to scream.
        
             | jdonaldson wrote:
             | I'm an organ donor, and I have no problem giving my organs
             | away after I'm quite positive I won't feel it. I think as
             | long as there is no sensation, there is no pain, and
             | certainly no formal concept of "self". But still, with
             | matters of exploitation of our bodies, we should tread very
             | very lightly.
        
               | exe34 wrote:
               | that's an odd thing to bring up out of nowhere.
        
         | philipkglass wrote:
         | No. These don't develop like embryos and do not have to come
         | from embryonic stem cells.
         | 
         |  _The structures differ from real human embryos in many ways,
         | and cannot develop into them because they lack several
         | embryonic tissues, as well as the supporting yolk sac and
         | placenta needed for further development._
         | 
         |  _The human stem cells used to derive hematoids can be created
         | from any cell in the body. This means the approach also holds
         | great potential for personalised medicine in the future, by
         | allowing the production of blood that is fully compatible with
         | a patient's own body._
        
           | frodo8sam wrote:
           | Perfect blood doping.
           | 
           | Kind of sad that that's the first thing that comes to mind...
        
             | nick49488171 wrote:
             | Could you do this using current medicine by extracting and
             | donating blood back to yourself after a week?
        
               | salamanderman wrote:
               | I'm pretty certain I read of people doing this in cycling
               | tournaments.
        
               | bobbylarrybobby wrote:
               | Yes, Lance Armstrong did just that!
               | https://www.usada.org/wp-
               | content/uploads/ReasonedDecision.pd...
        
             | lawlessone wrote:
             | If that's what it takes get this technology everywhere i'm
             | all for it lol.
             | 
             | An alternate Olympics where everyone is sponsored by
             | medical companies :D
        
               | makr17 wrote:
               | We have the Enhanced Games
               | (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Games), so we
               | already have an alternative Olympics that definitely
               | includes medical companies.
        
             | accurrent wrote:
             | I find it ironic that thats the first thing that comes to
             | mind. I know people with rare blood groups, I think this
             | could be huge for them.
        
         | umeshunni wrote:
         | We've been growing humans since the beginning of time. This one
         | is just in vitro.
        
         | measurablefunc wrote:
         | That's the technocratic endgame b/c a few people are rich
         | enough to realize the potential for life extension using the
         | same type of technology.
        
       | tifik wrote:
       | I know these are scientists and a 'Human embryo model' is a
       | perfectly valid name, because it's a model of a human embryo, but
       | it's a disaster from a marketing perspective. People will see
       | 'human embryo' and it doesn't matter that it's just a model of
       | one. You are now growing fetus-slaves.
       | 
       | Please call it something else.
       | 
       | Edit: they are calling it 'hematoids' and make it clear that it
       | is quite different from an embryo. I'm not sure why it's compared
       | to them in the first place then.
        
         | falcor84 wrote:
         | Just on a philosophical level, is there anything that would
         | make such embryos more "slaves" than embryos or fetuses in a
         | womb? It's not as if in a womb they have any ability to assert
         | conscious control over their environment, even if they had the
         | cognitive and sensorial capacity.
        
       | burnte wrote:
       | Bryan Johnson will be getting these transfused into himself ASAP.
        
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