Is 'Stem Cell' Concept Holding Back Biology?
Friday, October 2, 2009 - 10:14
in Physics & Chemistry
Chemists used to explain combustion as the release of a mysterious substance, which they named "phlogiston." Only when it came to pinning down the distinctive physical properties of phlogiston did it become clear that no such thing exists. Now one expert argues that the idea of stem cells is running into similar troubles as investigators try to pin it down to a set of distinctive molecular characteristics.