"BLOOD-LINES" MAY NOT MEAN THE SAME  

That old saying "blood is thicker than water", referring to strong family ties, may not mean the same in the future. Researchers in Indiana and Nevada have succeeded in transplanting bonemarrow from adult humans into sheep embryo.

What does this mean? This test sheep, now one year old, is now producing both sheep and human blood cells. This is another major step in the field of bio-technology in which organic capabilities of humans, animals, birds, reptiles, insects and even certain plant species are capable of exchanging genes! One astounding result comes from the transference of the gene that causes the glow in a firefly into a tobacco plant. This tobacco plant glows before it's lit. Why a tobacco plant? Because of the cancer scare, it is now the most studied plant in the world. Researchers are using gene transfers to aid in the prevention of fatal or disabling genetic disorders. Sheep in Scotland have for some time been producing Factor VII and VIII, the blood-clotting component so necessary to prevent hemophiliacs from bleeding to death from small wounds.

Expect to hear a lot more about such seemingly bizarre happenings as the field of biotech explodes around the world. Someday your "blood brother" may be a giraffe!

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