“I remember all this,” Carl interrupted. “But what’s all this about induced pluripotent stem cells? Are they the same as embryonic stem cells?”
“Amazingly enough, they do seem to be pretty much the same, and in ways their creation defies what science thought about development. For a long time scientists thought development of a cell from a primitive stage to a mature cell was a one-way street. But that turns out not to be the case. In studying the process of development, there appeared to be about thirty genes that are involved in varying amounts and timing in the maturation process. By packaging these genes in different amounts and mixtures, and putting them inside a fully developed mature cell with the help of viruses, reprogramming was shown to occur, taking the mature cell back to an embryonic state, seemingly the equivalent of an embryonic stem cell.”
“So that’s why these new stem cells are called ‘induced’?” Carl questioned.
“Exactly!” Ben said. “And that’s why they are also called pluripotent, meaning like embryonic stem cells, they are capable of forming any of the three hundred or so cells that make up the human body.”
“It is surprising,” Carl exclaimed.
“It’s more than surprising, in my estimation,” Ben said. “It’s more like astounding. The science of induced pluripotent cells is racing ahead at breakneck speed. Four years ago it was the genes associated with development that were put into mature cells by viruses, and some of these genes were oncogenes, closely associated with cancer-causing capabilities. Even the virus vectors were known to be occasionally carcinogenic, or cancer-causing, so the resulting induced pluripotent stem cells could never be used in patients, as they would be far too dangerous. But since that early beginning just four years ago, genes have been placed as the agents to reprogram the cells to a more primitive state with the protein products of the genes, and the insertion by potentially dangerous viruses has been changed to using electric current called electroporation, or even more recently by certain chemicals that pull the development proteins in through the cell membranes without damaging them.”
“Okay,” Carl said. “
“More important, does this give you a better understanding of the field?”
“Much better. I’ve finally got some context.”
“I’m always happy to give you an explanation of the science. Don’t feel embarrassed to ask.”
“I will take you at your word,” Carl said, putting his hand back on the reprint. “So if I understand correctly, this article is concerned with a process that speeds up the production of induced pluripotent stem cells, and it’s another one of those key processes that we need to control?”
“Yes, and I believe, by the way, this iPS RAPID is behaving like it’s for sale, an issue you know more about than I. My sense is that they would be better to control than the company in Massachusetts. It would be a coup to snap them up before they get a chance to test the market. Do we have significant equity on hand?”
“Probably not, but with the signing yesterday, we’re in good shape market value-wise, and it won’t take long to be able to estimate what we could raise in the short run.”
“Do it,” Ben ordered.
“It’ll be done,” Carl said, and got up from his chair. “Thanks again.” A moment later he was gone.
Ben got up and poked his head into Jacqueline’s office. He had to squint into the sun shining through her windows facing east. “Any sign of Satoshi?” he called out to her.
Since she was on the phone, Jacqueline merely waved and shook her head, voicelessly indicating that she’d not seen him.
Returning back to his desk, Ben half joked to himself that in regard to Satoshi he felt somewhat akin to the father of a teenage son, constantly concerned to a degree where the kid was and what he was doing. It was now going on ten, and Satoshi had yet to show up or call. Ben sighed, recognizing that he was always nervous until Satoshi appeared at the office, even though the man had nothing specific to do. Ben had asked him to at least call if he wasn’t planning on coming in, but Satoshi never bothered. One time Satoshi didn’t show up for a week and never bothered to call or even turn his cell phone on, causing Ben significant concern. When Satoshi did show up, he said he had taken his family to Niagara Falls. Although things were obviously better now with the licensing agreement signed and notarized, losing Satoshi would be more than inconvenient.
Thinking about Satoshi reminded Ben that he’d promised to call up to Columbia and check on the status of his request to lease laboratory space. As he put the call through, he mildly chided himself for not following up on it sooner. Knowing Satoshi as he now did, had he been more responsible, he wouldn’t have to worry about Satoshi’s whereabouts, because the man would spend all his time in the lab.
The conversation with the powers-that-be at Columbia was short and sweet, and very positive. The space was definitely available, the price was high but fair, and all Satoshi would have to do was provide a list of equipment and reagents, which the school would be happy to provide.
On a three-by-five card Ben scribbled the words
Adding the index card to the already sizable stack of contract, wills, and trust, Ben reached for the phone. He’d waited long enough, and his impatience had taken over. He dialed Satoshi’s cell phone number, which he’d committed to memory.
With an uncomfortable premonition building with each hollow ring, Ben impatiently drummed his fingers on the edge of the desk. When the prerecorded generic outgoing message came on, Ben’s premonition was unhappily vindicated. When appropriate, he left a message for Satoshi to return the call, adding that he had some good news to report. It was Ben’s hope that such a message was the best way to ensure a call back as soon as possible.
With that accomplished, Ben went into his closet and dragged out his coat. It was time to leave for his morning meeting with Michael.
5
MARCH 25, 2010
THURSDAY, 10:18 a.m.
Laurie realized she was not concentrating as she went back once again to the beginning of the chapter of the book she was reading. With nothing else to do, she resigned herself to reviewing general forensics, reading up on gunshot wounds. She had chosen GSW after hearing Lou’s story about the case that Jack was currently doing down in the pit. The trouble was that her mind was running all over creation, jumping from one thing to another. She’d already called Leticia so many times just to check in that she had detected a bit of frustration on Leticia’s part. During her last call Laurie had even detected irritation. While Leticia said everything was fine, she suggested that perhaps she, Leticia, should be the next to call, and only if there was a problem of any sort. In her highly sensitive state, Laurie felt as if she was being told that she was not quite as important as she thought and that it was she who was having the problem of adapting, not JJ.
As for her general reception at OCME, Jack had been right. Everyone from the janitorial staff and building engineers all the way up to the chief and the deputy chief had been effusive in welcoming her back. The universality of the response had been warming, but it had done nothing for her professional anxieties. If anything, they’d hardened partially as a consequence of not having been assigned a case. She had found herself unreasonably interpreting the situation not as a favor to her to get acclimated but rather because they, meaning Bingham, didn’t think she could do it to their expectations. The problem, however, was more because she had too much time on her hands with essentially nothing to do.
Laurie’s eyes drifted around her office. There were no Post-its clinging to the tops, sides, or bottom of her computer screen, as there usually were. No stacks of case files on the corner of her desk waiting for information or laboratory results before they could be signed out. In fact, the entire room looked so clean as to be sterile. The microscope standing by itself without slide trays seemed the most lonely, with protective covers on its eyepieces.
Laurie was about to give up trying to read, thinking she would wander down to the autopsy room and at least participate with Jack and Lou on the GSW case. By doing so she hoped she would feel that she was participating, if not contributing. Instead her phone surprised her by filling the room with its persistent jangle. Laurie snapped it up
