Replies to post #7335 on Ocata Therapeutics Inc fka OCAT

[lefty18]

The cells are totipotent at that stage, meaning that each cell has the potential to go on to form a human being genetically identical to the other seven cells. It also has the potential to become a cell of any type - a neuron, a blood cell, a liver cell, a skin cell, etc.

[utterbull]

Every cell in the blastomere contains the same set of chromosomes so removing one cell does not mentally or physically change the outcome. Excuse the brief explanation but might explain why they don't mention something at this level. Good question though.

You may want to google PGD to read more. But the basic idea it that one cell is removed to screen for traits that are the cause of serious/fatal illnesses. If one cell contains an undesirable trait in its DNA then all the cells do. If this was not the case then PGD would not be of any use.