Not much time to type right now, but let it be known, i am entering the real world.

The likelihood of ever finding it is small.
It’s like being accosted by a woman
And asked to help her look for a pearl
She lost right here in the street.

She could be making it all up,
Even her tears, you say to yourself,
As you search under your feet.
Thinking, not in a million years…

It’s one of those summer afternoons
When one needs a good excuse
To step out of a cool shade.
In the meantime, what ever became of her?

And why, years later, do you still,
Off and on, cast your eyes to the ground
As you hurry to some appointment
Where you are now certain to arrive late?

-Charles Simic

An analysis of the following: stem cells and gametogenesis.

For those of you unfamiliar with the world of biology- gametogenesis is the process by which haploid or diploid cells develop into mature gametes. Two familiar forms of gametogeneis in humans are spermatogenesis and oogenesis. Spermatogenesis occurs throughout life in the post-pubertal male. Oogenesis- is less understood. The declaration by Zuckerman et al. in 1951, that the number oocytes in the mature mammalian female is finite after birth, remained unquestioned until about 2004. Many articles have been published about the possibility of progenitor oocyte cells existing in the postnatal mammalian female. However, this information is still inconclusive (A general overview of the status circa 2004 of germline oocytes can be found here).

There are many pitfalls to this system of germ cell generation. Primarly, women undergoing radiation treatments or chemotherapy are at a tremendous risk of harming their germcells- putting their future progeny at risk of significant birth defects. Males suffer the same consequences, however, as spermatogenesis occurs throughout adulthood- it is possible to intercept undamaged sperm for the purposes of reproduction. You can imagine other problems with infertility that arise from gametogenesis (i.e. miscarriages).

So what am I rambling on about may you ask? Well, mostly this post is to address general inquiry. Challenging dogma is something I view as important. So here let me discuss gametogenesis and the stem cell.

A good review of the current status on germ cell derivation from stem cells can be found here

Of great interest is the derivation of either sex germ cell- from female origins: (Main conclusion of the paper: We have characterised the ability of PGCs from female embryos to respond to the masculinising signal that emanates from the somatic cells in a male genital ridge. Furthermore, we have identified molecular differences between PGCs in male and female embryos that reveal how PGCs may not only respond to the masculinising environment of the developing testis, but may also contribute to it.)

the entire article by McLaren et al. 2002 is quite good, one main point:

A small proportion (7%) of the 11.5 dpc female donor PGCs developed as prospermatogonia when aggregated with 12.5 dpc female urogenital ridges

This is fantastic news. Although the proportion is small, they effectively generated male gametes from female donors. This is in 2002, mind you.

Additional evidence provided by Hubner et al., 2003, showed that they effectively could derive oocytes from male and female stem cell lines of mice. Not only did they develop oocytes, they also “conclude that mouse ES cells are capable of differentiating into oocytes and form structures very similar, if not identical, to blastocysts, thereby demonstrating that these cells are actually totipotent even in vitro.” They were basically one step away from making a baby.

So what’s the current status? Well, as we all know, trials from mice to humans can take anywhere from 10-??? years. But it is good to know that the potential is there. It is good to know that maintain the right to reproduce won’t be restricted to the most traditional sense. This diagram(from the review article mentioned earlier) sums up the potential promises of stem cells:

as you can see the path to primordial germ cells can come from many directions. so long as some parts of your body are healthy- even one single cell- the possibilities of preserving your germline exist.

It takes twelve years. Twelve fucking years to grow a Christmas tree that you assholes are just going to chuck at the end of July. ASSHOLES. except, i do think Christmas trees are pretty. not gonna lie. maybe people should just grow them instead, then i wouldn’t feel so bad about it. Plus, we wouldn’t have to expend 60 acres to each Christmas tree farm- douche bags. growing one would also be all- generation after generation-y. come on people. get on that. off to grandma Pat’s.

I never got your beautiful eyes. Maybe that’s why it’s so difficult for me to see things the way you do. 

it wasn’t all you. Spin the story however you want it, that’s what you were always good at. But you and I both know how it went down. You always have to live with yourself at the end of the day.

I fell asleep last night. Woke up this morning to read this on a blank Word document:

The deadly caller, they are very alive and We’ll have an ad that is how well the ball ran a Long and hard and more at all,

WTF

Wellesley hasn’t had internet for just about 48 hours now. WHAT THE FUCK.

I am trying to breed some bettas, but right now basically the male betta just flashes around like a pansy.

Here’s what I want you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear(does juice count?)
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox- not together, but separately?
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

i’ve eaten a good portion of those nom noms. anyway, i is le tired now.

Not that this is anyway makes up for the fact that I haven’t posted in….ever…but look at these little motherfuckers:

and if that wasn’t enough, they have these little bios with nom nom information like this:

Ibbs (pear)
Even though he’s got big teeth, Ibbs is a vegetarian. He spends a lot of time tap dancing. When he isn’t dancing he likes to chase butterflies around the yard. Sometimes he stops to eat the dandelions, but his favorite food is broccoli.

I’m getting one all.

Well, I guess I can cross that one off my list.

Pictures later.