Blood and Bones

[Mr. M]

Genesis 50:25 Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you,

and you shall carry up my bones from here.

I have often wondered about the significance of bones. They are mentioned 84 times in the Bible (KJV).

A few to consider.

2 Kings 13:20 Then Elisha died, and they buried him (placed him in a sepulcher). And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year. 21 So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.

A well known verse from Jeremiah.

20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of Him,
Nor speak anymore in His name.
But His word was in my heart like a burning fire
Shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back,
And I could not.

In the scriptures we are told that life is in the blood. Now in our modern world, we know that the essentials of blood are produced in the bone marrow. This is the first place that stem cells were found, and they are being used for seemingly (at least to modern minds) miraculous healings. Stem cell research is revolutionary and controversial. In 2001, the W. Bush administration banned stem cell research using embryos as demeaning to life. Are stem cells unique to the individual? I continue to puzzle over this, and hope to get some insights from others by throwing this out there. You may think that I am out there, and I can't say that I would argue that point, but I am intrigued. How about you? 

[Mr. M]

I. Introduction: What are stem cells, and why are they important?

Stem cells have the remarkable potential to renew themselves. They can develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. Researchers study many different types of stem cells. There are several main categories: the “pluripotent” stem cells (embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells) and nonembryonic or somatic stem cells (commonly called “adult” stem cells). Pluripotent stem cells have the ability to differentiate into all of the cells of the adult body. Adult stem cells are found in a tissue or organ and can differentiate to yield the specialized cell types of that tissue or organ.

Pluripotent stem cells

Early mammalian embryos at the blastocyst stage contain two types of cells – cells of the inner cell mass, and cells of the trophectoderm. The trophectodermal cells contribute to the placenta. The inner cell mass will ultimately develop into the specialized cell types, tissues, and organs of the entire body of the organism. Previous work with mouse embryos led to the development of a method in 1998 to derive stem cells from the inner cell mass of preimplantation human embryos and to grow human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in the laboratory. In 2006, researchers identified conditions that would allow some mature human adult cells to be reprogrammed into an embryonic stem cell-like state. Those reprogramed stem cells are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

Adult stem cells

Throughout the life of the organism, populations of adult stem cells serve as an internal repair system that generates replacements for cells that are lost through normal wear and tear, injury, or disease. Adult stem cells have been identified in many organs and tissues and are generally associated with specific anatomical locations. These stem cells may remain quiescent (non-dividing) for long periods of time until they are activated by a normal need for more cells to maintain and repair tissues.

[FJK]

A lot to consider here in relation to seemingly unrelated scripture.

[Mr. M]

57 minutes ago, FJK said:

A lot to consider here in relation to seemingly unrelated scripture.

Yes, I went from thinking about bones in the Bible, to reading about marrow, since we now know that is where blood components are formed. The article mentioned that is where stem cells were first found, so the topic evolved rather quickly. I still feel that the topic is worthy of that consideration, and I was hoping someone with more knowledge of stem cells would shed some light. I started researching them and posted an intro, but there is much to learn, and while it was a hot topic in the past, I haven't heard much about it in awhile. I do remember the outcry that led to the Bush Admin's actions. The more I look into it, the more intrigued I become. Hopefully more will come out on the thread down the line. Thanks for the response.

[Mr. M]

II. What are the unique properties of all stem cells?

Stem cells have unique abilities to self-renew and to recreate functional tissues.

Stem cells have the ability to self-renew.

Unlike muscle cells, blood cells, or nerve cells—which do not normally replicate— stem cells may replicate many times. When a stem cell divides, the resulting two daughter cells may be: 1) both stem cells, 2) a stem cell and a more differentiated cell, or 3) both more differentiated cells.  What controls the balance between these types of divisions to maintain stem cells at an appropriate level within a given tissue is not yet well known.

Discovering the mechanism behind self-renewal may make it possible to understand how cell fate (stem vs. non-stem) is regulated during normal embryonic development and post-natally, or misregulated as during aging, or even in the development of cancer. Such information may also enable scientists to grow stem cells more efficiently in the laboratory. The specific factors and conditions that allow pluripotent stem cells to remain undifferentiated are of great interest to scientists. It has taken many years of trial and error to learn to derive and maintain pluripotent stem cells in the laboratory without the cells spontaneously differentiating into specific cell types.

Stem cells have the ability to recreate functional tissues.

Pluripotent stem cells are undifferentiated; they do not have any tissue-specific characteristics (such as morphology or gene expression pattern) that allow them to perform specialized functions. Yet they can give rise to all of the differentiated cells in the body, such as heart muscle cells, blood cells, and nerve cells. On the other hand, adult stem cells differentiate to yield the specialized cell types of the tissue or organ in which they reside, and may have defining morphological features and patterns of gene expression reflective of that tissue.

Different types of stems cells have varying degrees of potency; that is, the number of different cell types that they can form. While differentiating, the cell usually goes through several stages, becoming more specialized at each step. Scientists are beginning to understand the signals that trigger each step of the differentiation process. Signals for cell differentiation include factors secreted by other cells, physical contact with neighboring cells, and certain molecules in the microenvironment.

[BeyondET]

I find as well what's fascinating is stem cells are the last to go. Life does continue for a bit at the cell level. The immune system ramps up production of all sorts of cells trying to repair organs for awhile.

Muscle and bone marrow stem cells I think are some that live the longest up to 17 days for muscles.

Edited March 24, 2023 by BeyondET

[BeyondET]

Interesting verse possibly of bones and blood.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and full of power, and is sharper than any two-edged sword, cutting through and making a division even of the soul and the spirit, the bones and the muscles, and quick to see the thoughts and purposes of the heart.

[Mr. M]

4 hours ago, BeyondET said:

Interesting verse possibly of bones and blood.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and full of power, and is sharper than any two-edged sword, cutting through and making a division even of the soul and the spirit, the bones and the muscles, and quick to see the thoughts and purposes of the heart.

KJV

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

[BeyondET]

22 hours ago, Mr. M said:

KJV

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Job 10:11

Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.