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Biotech / Medical : Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TomOrt who wrote (2426)	1/8/1999 10:36:00 PM
From: jackie	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4676

Tom, I'll take a shot at this. ISIS controls biological processes with antisense technology. Antisense technology operates on the molecular level, within a cell, or at least, deals with the inappropriate expression of cellular information stored using nucleic sequences of the molecules contained within a cell. The stem cells being discussed in the article you cite, which is a fascinating subject, are involved in the job of initiating biological processes, not stopping them. Conventional thinking regarding neurological cells dictates the notion of cells incapable of division or replication. Which is why it is always calamitous to lose significant nerve connections. As in the case of Chris Reeves and his tragic accident with the fall from his horse, he has irreparable damage to the spinal cord. If neurological stem cells could be introduced at the site of the damage, his spinal cord could be repaired, with the restoration of function. Because antisense technology is concerned with stopping, as opposed to initiating biological processes, the answer to your question would be no. However, if nerve cells are rendered incapable of replicating themselves due to the expression of a gene responsible for turning off replication, then antisense technology could be used to turn on the replication of cells by turning off the off switch, if you follow my meaning. I do not believe this is the case. I believe, based on what I have studied in the past, that genetic information of this type is prevented from expressing itself within the nucleus via histones. I could be mistaken. Anyone else want to take a shot? By the way, I've heard a lot of promising developments in nerve regeneration coming out from the Swedes. This report does not entirely surprise me. If they have actually discovered a stem cell for nerves, the implications are enormous. It is similiar to discovering the pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells. Just some thoughts. Jack