茎细胞对于疾病治疗的神奇功效

26 茎细胞对于疾病治疗的神奇功效

DATE=5-24-01
TITLE=SCIENCE REPORT - Progress in Stem Cell Research
BYLINE=Caty Weaver¹

（Start at 59" ）This is Bill White with the VOA Special English Science Report.
Two new American studies report major progress in stem cell research. Stem cells can develop into other kinds of cells and （1）tissues.  Scientists believe stem cells could become (2) extremely important in the treatment of disease and (3) injury.
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health near Washington, D-C carried out one of the studies.  They took stem cells from unborn mice.  The scientists then forced the （4）embryonic³ stem cells to develop into several kinds of cells found in the organ called the pancreas. The cells then formed structures very similar to the pancreatic structures that produce （5）insulin. 
Insulin is an important hormone⁴ that controls sugar levels in the blood.  Some people do not produce enough insulin or the insulin does not act correctly in their bodies.  These people have the disease （6）diabetes⁵.
The N-I-H scientists say the laboratory versions of the (7) pancreatic structures acted like the real ones.  They released insulin in the presence of sugar. The scientists injected the structures into diabetic mice. The mice's natural defense⁶ systems did not (8) reject the foreign structures.  In fact, the bodies of the mice reacted by increasing blood supplies to support the structures. The treatment did not cure the mice of diabetes.  But the scientists say the mice lived longer than they would have without the treatment. 
Scientists at Rockefeller University and Sloan-Kettering Institute in New York carried out the other study. The Rockefeller University researchers took a cell from a mouse-tail and removed the genetic⁷ material. The researchers then removed the genetic material from a mouse egg. They put the genetic material from the skin cell into the mouse egg. In a few days an (9) embryo² began to form. 
An embryo is a human or animal in the first days or weeks of existence.  Stem cells from embryos⁸ can develop into all kinds of (10) cells and tissues.
The Sloan-Kettering scientists forced the mouse embryonic stem cells to develop into brain cells that produce the chemical (11) dopamine.  These are the brain cells that are damaged in people with Parkinson's disease.  (12) Parkinson's is a progressive disease that causes people to become unable to move.  Now the Rockefeller University scientists plan to test the laboratory-made cells in mice that have Parkinson's disease.
This VOA Special English Science Report was written by Caty Weaver.

注释：
(1)  tissue[ 5tisju: ]n.薄的纱织品, 薄纸
(2) extremely[ iks5tri:mli ]adv.极端地, 非常地
(3) injury[ 5indVEri ]n.伤害, 侮辱
(4) embryonic[ 7embri5Cnik ]adj.[生]胚胎的, 开始的
(5) insulin[ 5insjulin ]n.胰岛素
(6) diabetes[ 7daiE5bi:ti:z, -ti:s ]n.[医] 糖尿病, 多尿症
(7) pancreatic[ 7pANkri5Atik ]adj.胰腺的
(8) reject[ ri5dVekt ]n.被拒之人, 被弃之物v.拒绝, 抵制
(9) embryo[ 5embriEu ]n.胚胎, 胎儿, 胚芽adj.胚胎的, 初期的
(10) cell[ sel ]n.单元, 细胞
(11) dopamine[ 5dEupE7mi:n ]n.多巴胺(一种治脑神经病的药物)
(12) Parkinson[ 5pB:kinsEn ]帕金森(James, 1755-1824, 英国医生)

1 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

2 embryo   

n.胚胎，萌芽的事物

参考例句：

• They are engaging in an embryo research.他们正在进行一项胚胎研究。
• The project was barely in embryo.该计划只是个雏形。

3 embryonic   

adj.胚胎的

参考例句：

• It is still in an embryonic stage.它还处于萌芽阶段。
• The plan,as yet,only exists in embryonic form.这个计划迄今为止还只是在酝酿之中。

4 hormone   

n.荷尔蒙，激素，内分泌

参考例句：

• Hormone implants are used as growth boosters.激素植入物被用作生长辅助剂。
• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body.这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。

5 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

8 embryos   

n.晶胚；胚，胚胎( embryo的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Somatic cells of angiosperms enter a regenerative phase and behave like embryos. 被子植物体细胞进入一个生殖阶段，而且其行为象胚。 来自辞典例句
• Evolution can explain why human embryos look like gilled fishes. 进化论能够解释为什么人类的胚胎看起来象除去了内脏的鱼一样。 来自辞典例句