Chapter 2 Chapter two

The Yorkshire sow grunted vigorously, and a little pink meat slipped from her crotch.Paul Rains swiftly took the piglet, cut the umbilical cord, confirmed its gender, and said to the spectators in the outer circle: "Yes, of course it is a female. According to the prior decision, it will be called Gilly." It was a post-Easter day, and the courtyard was blowing with a March breeze.Paul was thirty-one, confident in his eyes, in a plain corduroy jacket and jeans with frayed hips.He is an outstanding geneticist, not only has profound theoretical attainments, but also has extremely dexterous hands, which dwarfs magic masters, miniature artists and violin masters.A joke circulated among colleagues that he was not only familiar with nuclear transplantation surgery, but could even "hold a hydrogen atom with Chinese chopsticks and place it accurately on the missing part of the chromosome".The pigsty is set up in a hall, with spacious bright windows above the head, and an aluminum alloy fence on the ground, which is covered with golden soft grass, which is very tidy.The sow was very familiar with the dark-skinned owner. When Paul was playing with her cub, she had no intention of protecting the cub. She still lowered her head to eat the afterbirth peacefully, and nuzzled the cub with her round nose.The progesterone in her body tricked her, and the "surrogate mother" didn't know that the cloned cub was not her own.It just wonders why only one cub was born this time (if it knows how to count), why there are so many people watching, and everyone laughs so happily.

Paul Raines carefully put Gilly back into the sow's arms, exited the pen, and pulled off the rubber gloves.All members of the Oregon Primate Institute surrounded the fence, beaming.Most of these yuppies are casually dressed, wearing casual clothes or work clothes. From the outside, they look like a group of ordinary blue-collar workers, but in fact they are all top players in this field.Director Stephen Klee personally recorded the whole process of giving birth with a Sharp video camera, and Tom was taking pictures.When the spotlight flashed, the sow raised her head and grunted twice in dissatisfaction.

They did not notify reporters.This is a sensitive project, and they would rather use their "own mouth" to announce it carefully to the society than to provoke those "big mouth" reporters.Stephen turned off the camera, shook Paul's hand with a smile, and said: "The champagne is ready in the bistro, let's celebrate." A few years ago, a shot of Stephen was widely reprinted in newspapers and periodicals in various countries: he looked down at the two micas in his arms, the bald head was shining under the light, and the micas looked up at the camera with frightened eyes.The two baby monkeys were bred by embryonic cloning, a major advance in genetics, but the success was overshadowed by the cloning of Dolly the sheep and caused few ripples.The news of cloning sheep was announced on February 23, 1997 by Wilmut of the Roslin Institute in the United Kingdom, which caused an uproar all over the world.Dolly was cloned from the somatic cells (not embryos) of adult sheep, thus confirming that all cells are totipotent and contain all their own genetic information; moreover, even the adult somatic cell nuclei of higher animals (such as mammals) Its gene expression can still be "turned back on".In the past, scientists have always believed that the development process of higher animals is irreversible, and adult somatic cells cannot return to the "totipotent" state of embryonic cells.

After this setback, Stephen immediately set his next goal-cloning a piglet from the somatic cells of an adult pig.This plan seems to have nothing to do with the name of the "Primate Research Institute", but everyone in the institute knows his intentions.They know that the biggest difficulty in human cloning is that the human embryonic genome begins to be transcribed at the 4-cell stage (same as that of pigs), while that of sheep is as late as the 8-16 cell stage, so there is a longer buffer time.Because of this precious buffer period, the developmental initiation factors of the cloned sheep can be produced, so that the implanted nucleus can fully develop in the cytoplast.Therefore, everyone tacitly understood the director's purpose: cloning pigs is just a springboard for human cloning, secretly preparing for the ultimate goal.

In fact, as far as Stephen's own point of view is concerned, he is a staunch opponent of "human cloning".He often said that human cloning technology came too early, and human beings have not yet made the necessary mental preparations.However, as the head of a well-known scientific research institution, he had to plan ahead.In a word, the Institute of Primates should not only remain calm, but also try to stay as close to the starting line as possible. Once the situation changes, they will not fall behind their peers. They rushed to the small restaurant, where champagne and sumptuous meals had been prepared.Stephen opened the French champagne and poured it for everyone with his own hands. He motioned for everyone to calm down and glanced at everyone with piercing eyes: "After a year of struggle, I can finally toast to the victory. According to the usual practice, the first glass of wine should be toasted to the project I think there is no doubt that this honor should belong to Paul Raines. Let's drink to his talent and hard work!" More than a dozen people raised their glasses to Paul, and the people around him followed suit. He hugs.Paul didn't give up, and said "thank you, thank you" with a smile, and drank the wine in his glass.

They chatted in threes and fives, and the atmosphere was very lively.Stephen had a few drinks and left early. Before leaving, he patted Paul on the shoulder and said, "Come to my office later." When Paul knocked on the door, Stephen was re-reading a science fiction piece in Amazing Stories titled "The Wise Men of World S" by Paul Raines (Stephen muttered: the restless guy) .The novel virtualizes a world S, which is exactly the same as the real world—except for one thing, that is, there has never been the phenomenon of "identical twins" among mammals (including humans), and people in that world don't know "twins" or "twins" at all. Such nouns.It was not until February 23, 1997 that the scientist S. Wilmut of the S world developed the technology of human identical twins (not cloned sheep!), which caused an uproar worldwide.President Clinton said: "Human beings are miracles born outside the laboratory, and we should respect this profound gift." Israel's religious rabbi said: "Judaism allows healing of wounds, in vitro fertilization (which is regarded as a healing act) , but never to challenge the authority of God." Grant, a bioethicist, said angrily: "Identical twin technology destroys the right of people to have unique genes, which are, in essence, the essence of independent personality. The most important material carrier." The psychologist Kirk said worriedly: "Twins who depend on each other are likely to cause lifelong psychological disabilities." Geneticist Willie said: "Biological diversity is precious, and every species Unique genes are potential wealth to adapt to future environmental changes. In this sense, twins are an invalid life phenomenon and a waste of human resources.” and so on.Each opposing point of view is highly logical and persuasive.That's the only way people in the real world (where twinning has existed since God created the world!) are laughing.

In the novel, one can touch the shadow of Paul himself, laughing and cursing, making a fuss, and being very talented.Rereading it, Klee smiled knowingly again, this clever guy, this troublemaker!Here he killed a surprise soldier, using the "pre-existing" identical twin phenomenon to allude to the "not yet present" human cloning technology.In fact, the objections in this article are not fictions, but the "truth" in the real world, which is the heavy worry of the scientific and ideological circles after the birth of Dolly the sheep.But under Paul's sharp pen, these worries turned into ridiculous pedantry.He couldn't help shaking his head.He didn't agree with Paul's point of view, but he had to admit that it was not easy to refute Paul's point of view.Hearing a knock on the door, he closed the magazine and said, "Come in!"

He got up and walked to the door, shaking hands with his proud disciple: "I'm very happy with this success, thank you again for your work." He sat Paul down and smiled, "You know what I was thinking just now? I was thinking, The time I spent with a 7-year-old boy 24 years ago was not in vain. I am very grateful that my patience at that time made the institute have an extra talented young scientist." Paul also recalled this scene: a scientist took a black boy by the hand and led him to the side of the sea of ​​science, which made him appreciate the mystery and beauty of science for the first time, and appreciate the unparalleled shocking power.He said earnestly: "Thank you very much for your enlightenment. I can choose this path of life, and that enlightenment is decisive. Mr. Klee, this project has been successfully completed, can we start the next step? We are already on the way The front of the world is now, this is a rare opportunity, we cannot let it go to waste.”

Stephen avoided answering, and pushed the magazine on the table over: "You wrote this science fiction novel, right?" Paul glanced at it, nodded and said, "Well, I wrote it, it was two months ago .” "Is it your declaration?" Paul was candid: "Yes, I wanted to express my views on human cloning in a twisted way." Stephen lowered his face and said seriously: "Paul, this novel is very well written, it's brilliant, and its ideas are quite interesting. But I don't want to talk about that today. You know, human cloning is an extremely sensitive topic , the government has repeatedly stated that it is not allowed to use government funds for human cloning research. The United Nations General Assembly has passed relevant conventions, and the biological community has strict self-discipline on this. I will not interfere with your own views, but be careful, you are a research institute An important member of , your remarks may be mistaken for the opinions of the Institute. Therefore, I ask you not to sign your real name when you publish similar novels or column articles in the future. I don’t want to put the Institute on the crater , and don't want to lose a very talented researcher. Did you hear me?"

Of course Paul understood his stern warning, but he was not about to give in, not even to his mentor.After pondering for a moment, he said frankly: "Actually, I wanted to talk to you a long time ago. You know my point of view: Human cloning technology is of course a double-edged sword. It will bring hope to the world and bring troubles. But In any case, it was inevitable, and the time has come. I would not, therefore, relinquish this honor to anyone else. Mr. Cleary, I would not leave the Primate Institute, much less you. But, If your decision to 'stop here' is irreversible, I will have to resign and find another private agency."

Stephen stared at his beloved disciple, and said in silence for a long time: "I won't stop you, I hope you find a better place to display your talents. Until you find a job, I will keep the job and salary here for you." "Thank you for your generosity." Stephen was silent for a long time again, and said with emotion: "Paul, I hope you can understand my decision. I insisted not to carry out research on human cloning, not entirely because I was afraid of losing government funds. I always believed that the arrival of human cloning was too fast. Human beings are not ready yet. Is it a gift from God or Satan? Will it trigger a domino effect and tear the human ethical and moral net to pieces? When you are engaged in human cloning research, you must always look left and right , don’t go too recklessly. Remember my words!” Paul said gratefully: "Thank you, I will definitely remember your teaching - just like it was 24 years ago." Paul's private house is more than 200 miles away from the Institute, and he rushed home at 4:00 pm.His wife, Victoria, was mowing the lawn in the yard, wearing a sharp wool dress with a concave waist and rounded hips, showing the characteristic curves of black women.On the large balcony, his son Jimmy is patiently feeding the "living" Pebby doll, playing very fascinated.Seeing his father who hadn't come home for several months, he just waved happily, said "Hello, Dad", and lowered his head to play again.The winter-resistant flowers in the courtyard are in full bloom, and there is a faint fragrance in the courtyard.Paul parked the car in the garage and, as usual, came over and put his arms around his wife from behind.But today his hug was somewhat absent-minded, and there was no kiss like usual.The wife was keenly aware of this, looked back at his face, and asked worriedly: "Has the cloned pig been born?" Paul smiled and said: "It was born, it went very smoothly, and we finally succeeded." Victoria smiled and kissed him: "Congratulations. Looking at your face, I thought something was wrong." The 5-year-old Jimmy was already half a cloning expert. The Pebby doll ran over happily: "Dad, you said that after the pig is successfully cloned, humans will be cloned. Make me a clone." Paul and his wife couldn't help laughing. The wife went to prepare dinner, and Paul led his son to play on the balcony, and happy laughter spread to the kitchen from time to time.Jimmy didn't give up, still talking about his request to clone himself, and assured his father that he would not fight the "new Jimmy".Victoria smiled and listened, her heart filled with joy.At night, after his son had gone to sleep, Paul told his wife that he had had a dispute with Mr. Klee and wanted to leave the Oregon Primate Research Institute and find a private institution to conduct human cloning research.He said: "I really don't want to leave Stephen Klee. He was my mentor 24 years ago. But we have different views. If we continue to stay here, it will inevitably conflict and waste my precious time. In any case, I will never Would give up human cloning research—a sure-fire chance to make a name in the annals of science. How could I pass it up when it was almost in my hands. Klee was lenient, deadpan, and said he would keep it for me until I found a new one." Victoria doesn't have a clear view on the rights and wrongs of human cloning, but she respects Klee so much that she worries about her husband's decision.She didn't let those worries surface, but said calmly, "Do what you want, and whatever you decide, I'll support you." She took off her pajamas, got into her husband's arms, and kissed his dark chest.Paul stroked her smooth back, feeling hot all over.Recently, they have been busy with the research of cloning pigs, and they haven't been together for 4 months.He bowed his head and kissed his wife, and said with a smile, "I'm even more reluctant to leave you. If we can find a private research institution, I'm afraid we won't be together within a year. I estimate that we can finish the bone of cloning in a year." Victoria chuckled, "Then why are you wasting your time? Come on." She turned off the bedside lamp. 24 years ago, Stephen.Cleary had a brief working visit to the University of Houston and lived in a modest apartment in Bel-Air.The apartment was filled with short-term residents, almost all people of color: blacks, Koreans, and a few Indians.Stephen's work is very busy. He often goes out early in the morning and comes back late at night, and even works overnight.One night he came back early, just after taking a bath, when the doorbell rang.He opened the door in a bathrobe, and outside the door was a 7-year-old black boy in plaid shorts, with his hands behind his back, and asked with round eyes: "Are you Uncle Klee? Aunt Martha in the apartment said you are a Biologist, right?" This boy was Paul Raines, and from then on, the two began a relationship of more than 20 years.At that time, Stephen was curious about this serious boy, and said with a smile: "Yes, I am Klee, a biologist. Do you have any questions?" The boy asked urgently: "Uncle Klee, I have been looking for you so many times. This time, I haven't seen you." Stephen thought, he was able to come to see "many, many" times, and it didn't seem to be a child's whim.He carried the boy to the sofa and asked, "What's the problem? Tell me." "Uncle, do you have HeLa cells in your laboratory?" Stephen looked at him with great interest. Although HeLa cells are well known in the biological world, it is unusual for a seven-year-old child to know this professional term.He smiled and asked: "HeLa cells? I want to test you first, what are HeLa cells." The boy replied smoothly: "I know. In 1951, a black woman Henrietta Lacks got cervical cancer, unfortunately Died. Before her death, the doctor took some cancer cells from her body and cultured them in a petri dish, and found that these cells survived forever, dividing and multiplying from generation to generation. Normal human cells usually only divide for 50 to 70 generations before dying. Since then, these cells have been spread to biological laboratories all over the world and named HeLa cells. Uncle, am I right?" Stephen praised: "Yes, that's exactly right. Did you read it from a book?" "No, Dad told me," Paul said seriously. "Henrietta Lacks was my grandma, and my dad was five years old when she died." Stephen snorted, picked up little Paul, and looked at him with a strange mood.Henrietta was 31 at the time of her death, and it is no surprise that she was able to leave a son and procreate.But for some reason, when Stephen suddenly knew that the immortal HeLa cells—those HeLa cells that never knew how to get tired, kept dividing in a petri dish, without any consciousness—had offspring, he was still shocked. An unmistakable shock.Paul was meditating in his arms, his eyes sparkling, not like the expression of a 7-year-old boy.He asked very seriously: "Uncle, is grandma's soul in these cells?" Stephen asked with a smile, "Did your father tell you?" "right." Stephen thought for a while and replied: "It can be said that it is. Of course it is not the soul mentioned in the Bible and black legends. Do you know? Everyone's cells are omnipotent, and in the chromosomes of the nucleus, there are cells that can replicate themselves. All the information. Cancer cells have the same function if they are not deformed. In this sense, your grandma’s soul is indeed hidden in HeLa cells.” Paul nodded and jumped to the next question: "Uncle, why do grandma's cells never die?" This question is more difficult to answer, Stephen thought for a while, and answered as simply as possible: "There are many explanations for the cause of cancer. , what I want to tell you below is just one of them. Humans evolved from single-celled organisms, which can be said to be immortal, and they divide generation after generation, from the beginning of life to today. Therefore, their The gene contains the instruction of 'dividing forever'. After evolving into multicellular organisms, nature chose the 'alternation of life and death' transmission method, because this method is more conducive to species variation to adapt to the environment. At this time, the multicellular organisms The gene then evolved a death instruction that is turned on at a certain time, and the cells belonging to a certain large individual can only divide for a few generations (about 50 generations for humans) before dying automatically. In addition, a 'contact inhibition' instruction has also been formed in the cell. When a cell develops and comes into contact with surrounding cells, it will automatically stop growing, so as to maintain the specific characteristics of the individual organism. There are only two types of cells in the organism that are different: germ cells and cancer cells. Germ cells can reset the biological clock back to zero , and count again; cancer cells divide and proliferate indefinitely, and then cause disease and death of the corresponding body." He paused and continued, "So, it can be explained like this: HeLa cells have completely turned off the death command, and restored more The ancient 'divide forever' instruction is a relatively rare phenomenon of complete reversion to ancestors. Later, biologists further discovered that some normal cells can also form immortal cell lines when cultured in vitro. Of course, the cause of cancer I am talking about is just a kind of Hypothesis, whether it is correct or not has yet to be proven. Child, can you understand?" Paul nodded like an adult: "Understood. Uncle Kerry, can you take me to see the HeLa cells? I really want to see what grandma is... what grandma's cells look like." Kelly readily agreed.The next day, in the biology lab at the University of Houston, 7-year-old Paul stared at layers of HeLa cells in a petri dish, his nostrils fluttering slightly, watching intently.The staff of the laboratory gathered around and watched the "offspring of Hela" with a smile. Like Stephen, they also felt the inexplicable shock: a group of unconscious cells that were hardly considered life, and a smart and strong boy, The two have a direct blood relationship, the contrast is too strong! Stephen told the children that HeLa cells are better than other cultured cells, and can form cell layers no matter in solid or liquid culture, and there is almost no distortion. For more than 30 years, it has provided great convenience for scientific researchers. Space experiments and new drug experiments must rely on it. It has created at least 1 billion yuan in value for the bioindustry.He also let Paul watch the whole process of a HeLa cell division under a microscope.In translucent cells, chromatin aggregates into threads, replicates in two, and aggregates into helices.The two stars then drag the chromatin filaments towards the ends.The middle part of the cell shrinks and divides into two identical cells, and the spiral chromosomes return to their original shape to form a new nucleus.Paul was so enthralled he almost stopped breathing.His eyes traveled through time and space, exploring the secrets left by the Creator billions of years ago.Even the simplest cell division process in the biological world contains inexplicable mysteries: how is this complete set of instructions formed?What method is used to express the "mathematical formula" that determines the shape of the spiral?"Who" ordered the stars to move to the sides? ... A string in his heart was plucked by the buzzing, and this deep resonance has never stopped since then. Stephen Klee is also very pleased, he has found a seedling worth cultivating.There is a strange resonance between Paul and science, and his comprehension is well beyond the level of a 7-year-old.During his one-month stay in Houston, Klee instilled a lot of knowledge into his young disciple, and he was pleased to see that Paul understood these profound contents almost by intuition.After he left Houston, he also made several phone calls with Paul Jr., and then lost contact.Until 20 years later, one day he was teaching several newly admitted graduate students in the Biology Department of the University of Oregon. When he walked into the classroom, a tall black student walked over immediately and said with a smile: "Mr. , remember me? You showed me HeLa cells 20 years ago." Stephen remembered it all of a sudden, and hugged him in his arms with a big smile.If you look closely, you can still see the shadow of the 7-year-old boy on this handsome black face.That day he changed the content of his lecture and told the students a story about him and a little boy.In the end he concluded: "Science is a myth of reason, and it explores the technological measures by which God's magic can be realized. Its believers are the most talented and wise men among human beings. If you want to engage in scientific research, you must first establish your devotion to the goddess of science Belief!" Victoria fell asleep, and Paul leaned on the bedside to sort out the past.The room is very quiet, the shadow of the silk tree is shaking gently on the window, sweeping the light moonlight.The phone rang, and Paul, afraid of waking his wife, leaned over and picked up the receiver.There was a loud man's voice in the microphone, which made the microphone buzz: "Is that Mr. Paul Raines? I called the Oregon Primate Research Institute and they said you went home and provided This number." Paul looked at his wife and said softly, "This is Paul Raines. Excuse me..." There was still a deafening laugh in the microphone: "Mr. Raines, I have read your science fiction novel "The Wise Men of World S". An ethicist will definitely have a toothache after reading it!" Paul also smiled, and asked again: "May I ask if you are..." "Ian Hillard, you've heard of this name, an unpleasant old guy." Paul knew the name, he was a long-time medical scientist, well-known in biological and medical circles.But he is famous in the public opinion circles for another reason: when all countries in the world were united against human cloning, he went up against the wind and vowed to clone the first person within two years.Many rich people (rich women) enthusiastically signed up and donated a lot of funds, causing a small earthquake in the public opinion circle.This was last year.However, according to people in the circle, this man is characterized by his tendency to speak out, and his ambition is often greater than his actual ability.Paul believed in these internal rumors, because, after the hype, he hadn't heard of any progress in his research on human cloning.The other party stopped laughing and said solemnly: "Mr. Raines, I recommend your novel to Mr. Robertson. John Robertson, the president of PPG Pharmaceuticals. This gentleman is very enlightened, very enthusiastic, and perhaps more importantly What is more, he is very rich and generous, and can support a scientist to realize his dream. Mr. Raines, would you like to meet Mr. Robertson?" Come on, Paul wryly thought, a rich and generous Mr. Mox pops up and he's going to hand over $10 million to duplicate himself.The difference is that when the science fiction writer Rovik fictionalized this character 20 years ago, human duplication was still a far-fetched dream.But today, it has become a specific project in the annual scientific plan—and the reason why it has not become a reality is not that scientists cannot do it, but they are unwilling to do it!This is something that has never happened before in history.In the past, scientists were a bunch of fanatical lovers. As soon as the shadow of a "scientific discovery" appeared in the dark, they would swarm on it regardless of life or death.But now, these lovers are hiding in the distance, staring greedily at "her" while hesitantly switching their steps. See the small but know the work.This little incident alone shows that human civilization has reached a turning point.Ian didn't wait for Paul to reply, and added: "Mr. Raines, I know that you have a deep relationship with your mentor, Mr. Stephen Klee, and I don't want to poach his corner. This meeting does not require you to make any promises, but you At least you should not give up the opportunity to choose, for science, but also for yourself. Do you agree with my suggestion?" He didn't know, Paul thought, that I had decided to part with Mr. Cleary.Of course he wouldn't know, it just happened yesterday.But for some reason, this reassured Paul that at least this invitation was not some premeditated conspiracy.He smiled and said, "Thank you for your invitation. Where can I meet Mr. Robertson?" Ian shouted happily: "Mr. Raines, you are such a refreshing person! Please arrive at Portland Airport at 10:00 tomorrow morning. Mr. Robertson's private jet will be waiting for you there. I will accompany you to fly to Xiao Ke in Philadelphia." Nikum Island to meet him. The trip is paid for at $3,000 per day for business consulting. Any more questions?" Paul knew, probably, that he would be chained to Mr. Robertson on this trip.He said solemnly and word for word: "Mr. Hillard, I have only one request: I can go to see Mr. Robertson, but before I make a decision, before I agree to clone myself for someone, I want to tell this gentleman Have the fullest knowledge. Let's be clear, I don't want to clone a Hitler, Hoover, Simpson or anything like that. It would be rude to make that a condition on a first meeting, but I have to get to the point. Hope Sheila Can Mr. De convey this condition for me?" The other party didn't think it was disobedient, and smiled on the phone: "Of course, thank you for your frankness. I will definitely convey these words verbatim, goodbye." After putting down the phone, Paul realized that his wife had woken up early and had been listening to the conversation between the two quietly."Are you going tomorrow?" she asked. "Yes, go and have a look and make a decision. However, I have a hunch that I may stay there." Victoria said happily: "This call came too timely. I think it is a good sign." "Yes, it's a good sign." He kissed his wife and took her in his arms. The DC-3 business jet parked at Portland Airport has a slender and graceful fuselage, reminiscent of a swordfish cutting through the waves.Mr. Ian Hillard greeted him at the door of the cabin. He was a chubby white man, about 60 years old, with bald hair and a thick beard.Paul thought curiously, coincidentally, this was exactly the image of Hillard in his mind.A petite stewardess graciously took the suitcase and ushered him into the front cabin.He had just settled down in his seat when the plane slid onto the runway and roared away for takeoff.After the plane entered the stratosphere, it flew very smoothly and quietly.Ian on the opposite side patted his knee and smiled: "Unfasten your seat belt. Welcome, Mr. Raines, Mr. John Robertson will entertain you at home. I believe that once you get on this plane, you will not Back again. Do you believe my prophecy?" Paul smiled and didn't answer, he was afraid that his answer would be regarded as some kind of promise.Ian said quickly: "You don't have to worry, Robertson is not Mox, he has no intention of cloning himself at all. In his own words, he is quite self-confident, thinking that there is another person in the world with him The genetic information is exactly the same, he is not reconciled to it." He laughed again in a Hillard style, and then turned serious, "However, both he and I hold the following views: Human cloning technology has a great impact on human health. The extremely huge potential benefits must not be buried because of the short-sightedness and indecision of some people. It cannot be buried because of millions of patients: cystic fibrosis patients, Down's dementia patients, congenital lung cancer Patients with emphysema, patients with infertility, patients with progressive cirrhosis, are all waiting for it. There is a ready-made example before us. Thirty years ago, Gary Hawking of the Bethesda Institute of Health in Maryland Resist the ban on embryo research, transfer to the private Jones Institute, and use the method of embryo segmentation to make a couple suffering from Tay-Sachs family disease (Taylor Idiot) give birth to healthy babies. If you succumb to laymen And bureaucratic bans, the medical profession will lose this achievement. I think we agree on these views, right.” Paul said succinctly: "Yes, you can't cut the river with a sword, you can only try to channel it in the right direction." Ian said with a smile: "I really appreciate the words of a bioethicist, although this sentence has Strong jealousy. After yelling at Gary Hawking, this gentleman said bitterly: technology always wins, and bioethicists can only throw a handful of four-legged nails on their way forward." Ian patted Paul on the shoulder and said jealously: "It's a pity that I'm old, and my trembling hands can no longer perform fine micromanipulation. Otherwise, I really don't want to give you the honor I got." He stood up with a smile, "I won't bother you. After seeing you, Robertson will definitely ask a few questions. Rather, he will interview the future technical director. You'd better prepare." He went to another He went to the cabin and chatted happily and loudly with the stewardess.Paul squinted his eyes and leaned on the sofa, thinking, rehearsing the meeting with Robertson in his mind.This is a very good opportunity. After more than a year of intensive research, he calmed down and sorted it out. He found that his thinking on human cloning became clearer.The stewardess came over lightly, smiled and told him to put on his seat belt, the plane was about to land. A Mercedes-Benz S600 sedan waited at Philadelphia International Airport and dropped them off half an hour later at Robertson's apartment on Little Tinycomb Island.This garden-style home is very spacious, with ducks quacking in the pond, cedar and holly lush, and North American goldfinch singing in the shade.The polite and humble servants opened the door and ushered them out of the car. An elderly white man of medium build was waiting at the entrance of the hall, wearing a plaid silk shirt and a silver-gray camel hair sweater, with a thin body and golden body hair on his arms.He smiled cordially, shook hands with the two, led them to sit down in the living room, and asked, "Mr. Raines, is it comfortable to ride my big bird?" "Very comfortable." He smiled complacently: "This DC-3 business jet is my favorite lover. My love has not cooled down in the past 20 years. It is very comfortable to be in her arms. If you are not too tired, let's start Let's get to the point." Paul nodded in agreement.John leaned over slightly and said: "Mr. Raines, Ian highly respects you, saying that you are an outstanding geneticist with active thinking, keen eyesight and superb professional skills. I would like to ask a few questions. The question is related to the long-term direction of my company. Can you enlighten me, sir?" Knowing that the interview had already started, Paul smiled and said, "Please, I will try my best to answer." "First question, how do you think adult somatic cloning of organisms -- whether it's Dolly the sheep or Dolly the girl -- makes sense bioethically?" Paul quickly replied: "I think that since the advent of Dolly the sheep, the reaction of public opinion has been overdone. In fact, in order to achieve the same purpose, the technology of embryo segmentation or embryo cloning that has already been mastered can be used, and the method is more简便。比如，你如果想克隆一个人，只须在其人还是一颗胚胎时将其分割，然后将一部分胚细胞冷冻起来就行了，如果此人成年后有克隆自身的愿望，就把胚细胞解冻并植入某位妇女的子宫。你看，多么简便、可靠而廉价的办法。至于用成人体细胞克隆，只有心理上的而不是生物学上的意义，因为看起来它能让人们更'自由'地做出决定，而不必依赖他人事先为他保留胚细胞。也就是说，成年体细胞克隆之所以被炒得这样热，是因为它面对着'没有预留胚细胞'的这一代人。” “也就是说，有关克隆人的伦理禁区，早在胚胎分割或胚胎克隆时就已经打破了？” “对，完全如此。比如说，贝塞斯达卫生研究院的加里·霍金就先行一步，他在医治黑蒙性白痴遗传病时采用了胚胎分割的办法。在希拉德先生推荐给你的那部科幻小说中，我表达了同样的观点。克隆人是不可避免的，与其闭着眼拒绝它，不如让有责任心的人催它出生，同时小心地对付它带来的问题。”罗伯逊先生微微点头，接着问了第二个问题：“那么，依雷恩斯先生的估计，如果我们决定用成年体细胞来克隆人，又有足够的资金，大概需要多长时间才能成功？” 保罗断然说：“一年到一年半。你们可能已经在今天的报上看到，俄勒岗灵长目研究所成功地克隆出一头猪，而猪的胚胎基因组转录也是在4细胞期，和人一样。在这个基础上再去克隆人就容易多了。”他解释道，“我这样作，并没有违背一个研究者的道德。事实上，就在前天我还建议斯蒂芬所长立即开始克隆人的课题，但他坚决拒绝了。不过他并没有禁止我到某个私人机构干这件事。很巧，当天晚上我就接到了希拉德先生的电话。” 约翰望望伊恩，笑道：“我们不知道这些曲折，所以一定是上帝的安排。我的法律顾问也告诉我，克隆人类肯定在舆论界引发一场里氏八级的地震，但只会限于伦理学的范围内，并不违背任何法律，也就是说，克隆人在法律上是可行的。现在我要问第三个问题，我想成立一个研究小组，在一年内克隆出第一个人，资金使用不受任何限制。你愿意当小组负责人吗？” 他看着保罗，补充道：“你不必现在就回答，可以考虑一个星期。另外，我向你郑重承诺：第一个克隆人的原型将是与本公司完全没有利害关系的普通人。克隆人技术是人类的财富，只能为人类的疾病治疗服务。我既不会克隆自身，也不会去克隆某个富翁、政界要人或有自怜症的女影星，不会克隆体育天才或科学天才。请你相信我的承诺。” 保罗在开始这次行程时免不了心怀疑惧，这时疑惧一扫而光。在短暂的会面中，他已喜欢上面前这位忠厚长者了。他爽快地说：“谢谢你的承诺，我相信你。现在我就能作出决定：我答应。” 罗伯逊望望伊恩，欣慰地笑了：“很高兴你能当场作出决定。你的年薪是15万，另外，如果在一年内成功，还有20万的奖励。希望我提供的待遇能让你满意。” “我很满意。不过我更关心的是你提供的工作条件。”保罗性急地说，“罗伯逊先生，克隆人是我的夙愿，我想尽快开始工作，越快越好。” 主人笑着站起来：“这么性急？不过，我理解你的心情。现在我们去吃顿便饭，随后让伊恩带你去安排一切。” 餐厅的饭菜备好了，陪客已经入席，满桌的银器闪闪发亮，头顶悬挂着富丽的枝形水晶吊灯，七八名衣冠楚楚的侍者肃立在墙边。保罗没有料到这顿“便餐”是这样隆重，心中暗暗感动。主人引他入座，介绍了席上的客人。长桌端头坐着女主人，笑容慈详，风度雍容，但她相当削瘦，面色发暗。她朝客人含笑点点头，没有加入寒暄。伊恩小声告诉保罗，女主人身体不好，患有病原不明的渐进性肝硬化，现代医学暂时还束手无策。其后保罗看到，女主人虽然一直陪到席终，但基本上没有动刀叉。席上还有一位白人青年克勒松，一个中年日本人桥本正治，这两位是公司为他安排的助手；一个20多岁的金发姑娘，笑容灿烂，表情生动，穿着纯白色的羊绒衫，短羊毛裙，裸着两条美腿。主人介绍说：“这位是苏玛，你的低级助手。” 做这番介绍时他的嘴角挂着笑意，那位苏玛更是竭力忍着笑，朝长桌端头的女主人调皮地霎着眼睛。保罗很快就知道了这是怎么一回事：原来苏玛是老约翰的爱女，是一位激情型的性格放达的姑娘。而且——她确实很漂亮，在宴会进行中，她始终是一个耀眼的亮点。 回到卧室已经是12点了，雷恩斯还是忍不住给妻子挂了电话。维多利亚的声音带着浓浓的睡意：“是保罗吗？我知道你要来电话的。” 保罗兴奋地说：“我的工作已经安排好，工作条件和待遇都十分满意，可以说超出了我的预料。维多利亚，半年内我不会回去了，我要尽力在半年内取得突破。” 妻子高兴地说：“好，你安心在那儿干吧，杰米放假时我们去看你。对了，不要忘了通知克利先生。” “不会的，我这就通知他。吻你，再见。” 时间已经很晚了，他犹豫片刻，还是拨通了克利的电话。斯蒂芬平静地说：“很高兴你找到了满意的工作。依我的估计，半年内你一定会取得成功。所以，你不必担心失败，应该担心的倒是过于轻易的成功。人类如此轻易地窃取了司命女神的权杖，她一定会报复的——可能在你意想不到的地方。”保罗肃然说：“老师，我一定会记住这番话。吉莉怎么样？我在这儿仍放不下它。” “很好，一切正常，它的胃口尤其好，已经长了将近1公斤了。” 保罗叹道：“半年内我不能见它了。克利先生，我会常同你联络的。晚安。” 实验室也在小蒂尼克姆岛上，位于岛的东侧，俯瞰着特拉华河的鳞鳞细波。时而有一架银色的客机掠过蓝天，落在东边不远处的费城国际机场。伊恩领保罗视察了这座规模宏大的实验室，兴致勃勃地介绍着离心机、质谱仪、超净工作台、恒温室、光学显微镜和电子显微镜等。他自豪地说：“全是一流的设备，甚至超出了这个项目的需要，是我一手置备的。”他开玩笑地说，“真舍不得离开这里。可惜我是你的同行，留在你身边的话，我会忍不住多嘴多舌。所以我要和你说再见了。其它的具体事宜，桥本会向你介绍。” 他同各人握手后扬长而去。 克勒松和桥本含笑望着新上司。在此之前，他们已经知道保罗的名声，但目光深处不免有些疑虑，毕竟他太年轻了。保罗对这些疑虑视若未见，单刀直入地说：“从现在起，我正式接手这个课题，相信我们能很好合作。在几代科学家的努力下，克隆人技术已经到了瓜熟蒂落的时候了，所以不必担心失败。” 两个助手互相看看，暗暗佩服这位年青人的自信。保罗继续说道：“你们都知道，成人体细胞克隆的最大难点是，如何使供体细胞核和受体卵细胞的发育周期达到同步，以免造成供体核膜的破裂及出现早熟凝集染色体。也就是说，尽量保证细胞核处于有丝分裂停滞期——G0期，而使受体胞质体处于MⅡ期。俄勒岗灵长目研究所在实现猪的克隆时，已经在这方面作出突破，方法仍是把供体核放在FCS溶液和牛血清中处理，用血清饥饿的办法固定核的发育过程。这种溶液的配比已经精心改进，称之为FCS－Ⅴ型。当然它不能照搬到克隆人上，但我估计，只要小修小补就够了。因为猪和人一样，其胚胎基因组的转录也是在4细胞期开始。”他开玩笑地结束了这个开场白，“要知道，在'聪明的人'与'愚蠢的猪'的身体结构上，上帝并未设置一条截然分明的界限。”实验室工作迅速步入正常轨道。克勒松和桥本正治都是训练有素的研究人员，干得很顺手。保罗发现，苏玛倒确实是个“低级助手”，她没有丝毫的生物学知识或技能，只能为其他人倒杯咖啡，刷洗瓶子，打印材料。碍着罗伯逊先生的面子，保罗不好探根究底，但一直纳闷这位富家千金为什么要掺和到这里来。不久苏玛自己给出了答案。 “保罗，你知道吗？实验所需的卵子将由我提供，而且，我将作第一个克隆人的代理母亲。”晚饭时苏玛坐在保罗对面，兴致勃勃地说了这番话。保罗一时愣住了，看看旁边的桥本，桥本笑着点点头。这个情况出乎保罗的意料，诚然，做代理母亲不会有什么风险，但以一个未婚姑娘（还是一位富家千金）的身份来“出租子宫”，未免不大寻常。保罗记得，在《人的复制》那篇小说里，代理母亲就是一位没有任何背景的贫家女子，好像叫什么“麻雀”。 他对此不大乐意，因为以苏玛的身份来作代理母亲，一旦有什么差错，处理起来会相当麻烦。苏玛一定猜到了他的心思，满不在乎地说：“对，我还没有结婚，父亲本来不同意我做这件事，是我逼他让步的。你想，这么好的机会我能放过吗？人类历史上将会记上我的名字：克隆人类的女性始祖，童贞圣母玛利亚！”她高兴地开怀大笑，露出两排珠贝似的白牙。保罗沉思着吃了几口饭，抬起头说：“想听听我的意见吗？” 苏玛笑道：“请讲，不必忌讳。” 保罗认真地说：“作代理母亲没有太大的风险，这点我可以保证。但怀上畸胎的可能性是很大的，也许有40％。我担心……”他担心这个漂亮姑娘产下一个狰狞的怪胎，或是一堆无定形的原生质。他没有把这样的情景给苏玛描绘出来，只是委婉地说，“我担心你在心理上受刺激。是否重新考虑这个决定？”苏玛直率地反问：“那么，你想该由谁来干？” 这个锋利的诘问使保罗愣住了，很久才愧然道：“你的诘问切中要害。没错，在我的潜意识里，认为这种工作应由那些贫穷的下等人去干，我们可以很'公平'地用金钱换取她们的牺牲。我是个数典忘祖的混蛋，要知道，我的祖辈就是贫穷的下等黑人。” 这种坦率的自我剖析使三人很感动。苏玛笑道：“富家千金和贫家女子在上帝面前是平等的。我不想看到有人为金钱出租子宫，至于我，干这件事是完全自愿的，甚至认为这是我的幸运。不必劝啦，我不会改变主意的。” 保罗凝视着她，动情地说：“好吧，我将竭尽全力让克隆人一次成功。单单为了你，也应该这么作。你们说是吧？” 他问克勒松和桥本，两人都郑重地点头。苏玛高兴地笑了：“谢谢你们。”在这次餐厅谈话之后，那个悬而未决的问题也迎刃而解，那就是：决定第一个克隆人的性别。这个问题在保罗、克勒松和桥本三个人的小圈子里讨论过几次。克勒松没有明确的意见，桥本极力主张定为女性，因为“生物世界中雄性是寄生于雌性的”，所以第一个克隆人定为女性“更符合上帝的本意”。他还隐晦地说：“罗伯逊先生多次含蓄地表示了同样的意见。当然，他很开明，把决定权留给你。”保罗大致赞成桥本的意见，只是还有些犹豫不决，毕竟他也属于“寄生的雄性”嘛。但这次谈话后，三人一回到实验室，他就果决地说：“我不再犹豫了，就按桥本和罗伯逊的意见吧。我想以此表达我的敬意，对一位献身科学的童贞女的敬意。” 实验室遴选了不少男女自愿者作为供体核的提供者，这些核是在初期实验中使用的。在作出那个决定后，保罗从中挑选了三名身体健壮、容貌端正的女性，从她们身上吸取和刮取了乳腺细胞、肾细胞、胰细胞和皮肤细胞。 初期实验中同样需要大量卵细胞，保罗曾决定，等正式实验时再使用苏玛的卵细胞，但苏玛坚持也要为初期实验提供。32个小时前，苏玛被注射了绒毛膜促性腺激素，以便刺激她超数排卵。现在她躺在手术床上，坦露着光滑的腹部。这个手术只需局部麻醉，所以苏玛睁着两眼，兴奋中略带点紧张。保罗熟练地在她小腹上开了一个小口，插入细长的腹腔镜，灯光通过光纤送进去，照亮了腹腔。在内窥镜中看到卵巢上布满了水疱状的滤泡，保罗插入一根针状吸管，穿过内腹膜，缓缓推进到水疱上，小心地抽出其中的成熟卵子。 采到的7个卵子放入培养皿中，用特制的生长配制液维持卵子的体外生存。苏玛被推出病房时，保罗轻轻吻一下她的额头：“苏玛，手术很顺利，明天你就可以出院了。”他停顿片刻又补充道，“谢谢你。”采集到的供体核都在改进过的FCS溶液和牛血清中处理过，有4个乳腺细胞到了G0期。保罗随即开始了精细的核移植手术。在超净工作台上，靶细胞用粘结剂附着在玻片上，保罗靠高倍显微镜的帮助，用直径不到1微米的显微抽射器小心地插入靶细胞内，吸出细胞核。随后再按相反的过程，把细胞核注射进已经去核的空卵泡内。 类似的手术保罗已做过上千次，他的动作准确、敏捷、轻柔，就像是微雕艺人在凝神雕刻。第一例融合手术做完了，保罗又指导着克勒松和桥本完成了其余3个融合细胞。 苏玛让人把活动床推到实验室，饶有兴趣观看了全过程。三人洗了手，喜气洋洋地走过来，苏玛急不待地问：“这4个融合细胞都能成活吗？” 保罗摇摇头：“当然不能保证。维尔穆特在克隆多莉羊时，成功率只有千分之一。我已把这个比率提高到十分之一。不过，这些融合细胞即使成活也要处理掉，我要把成功率提高到80％后再考虑给你作手术。” 克勒松和桥本已经出去了，苏玛仍在活动床上昂着头，饶有兴趣地左顾右盼。保罗问：“怎么啦？还有什么问题吗？” 苏玛孩子气地说：“不，没有。我只是感到……敬畏，感到不可思议。你知道吗，我为什么坚决要求参与这项研究？因为我觉得它一定非常非常神秘。这是上帝的最大秘密，能够破译它的科学家一定是大脑袋、长长的白胡子；实验设备一定像科幻影片中那样的奇奇怪怪。现在，仅靠这些简单的培养皿、离心机和显微注射器，就能改变上帝的秩序？” 保罗笑了：“科学家的工作就是寻求大自然固有的简洁和优美。上帝的秩序本身就是非常简洁的。”苏玛迷醉地说：“我非常敬佩你们，这些同上帝打交道的科学家。”她揶揄地低声说：“喂，科学家先生，我怕是爱上你啦！”保罗笑着，示意护士把她推走。 融合细胞随即植入4名自愿者的输卵管，在那儿发育成桑椹胚。6天后有了第一例成功，恰恰是保罗做的那一颗。他们取出这颗桑椹胚仔细检查，未发现有明显的染色体异常。初战告捷，全组人都处于狂喜之中，即使保罗也没有料到幸运女神会如此垂青。但他仍毫不含煳地下了命令：“把这颗胚胎冷冻起来，重复同样的手术。我想，至少有100例成功后再考虑对苏玛植入。”此后的几个月内，他们一遍一遍地重复着，后期的成功率已达到80％。保罗这才给伊恩打了电话，平静地说：“我想，对成功已经大致有把握了。正式手术前，请你们来一趟吧。” 罗伯逊和伊恩都来了，同每个人热烈拥抱，观看了冷冻的融合细胞。罗伯逊的喜悦藏在平静中，伊恩则一点不掩饰他的狂喜，激动地说：“好样的，我知道你们一定会成功！” 保罗笑了：“你的祝辞发表得太早了吧，这些都是预备工作，还没有正式开始呢。” “但成功已在你的掌握之中，我没说错吧。”保罗和两个助手会心地笑笑，未置可否。罗伯逊微笑道：“谢谢你们的努力。继续干吧，我和伊恩留在这儿只会碍事，我们要退场了。”他同三人再次拥抱后悄然退去。满面喜色的伊恩没有走，把保罗喊到一旁悄声说：“保罗，老约翰对你非常满意。我听说，他将成立一个新的分公司，并在考虑向你赠送一些公司股份。”保罗对这个消息感到意外，笑着拒绝道：“谢谢。年薪和项目奖金已够我花了。”伊恩把话头拉上正题：“保罗，约翰和我有一个打算，是在聘请你来这儿之前我们就商定的，现在约翰让我来征求你的意见。” "Speaking." 伊恩笑道：“我们想，为了克隆人的成功更有意义，第一次正式手术最好采用某位特定妇女的细胞核。” 保罗立即皱起眉头。几个月来，他与罗伯逊的合作一直是满天晴朗，现在浮出了第一丝疑云。这个特定的妇女是谁？这个决定有什么特殊用意？一直声言要“彻底放手”的罗伯逊为什么事先作出这个决定？伊恩似乎没有看出他的疑虑，喜气洋洋地说下去：“还记得罗伯逊的承诺吗？第一个克隆人的原型必须是与PPG公司没有任何利害关系的普通人，这个承诺绝不会失效。现在，我对你也有一个承诺：等第一个克隆胚胎在苏玛的子宫里着床成功后，我一定会告诉你它的原型的姓名。现在不行，”他故弄虚玄地说，“我不能影响届时的喜剧效果。不过我可以保证，一旦告诉你真情，你一定会喜出望外。” 虽然还多少有些疑虑，但保罗基本上放心了。通过这一段接触，他知道约翰和伊恩都是有诺必信的君子。况且到那时胎儿仍在他的控制之下，如果有什么不妥，他会果断地采取对策。唯一不明朗的倒是什么“喜出望外”，不知暗指何事。伊恩的络缌胡子中满是神秘的笑容，他不会在这时把底牌抖出来的。保罗笑笑，认可了他的话。 伊恩随即送来了他所说的“某位特定妇女”的体细胞。他说这是子宫内膜细胞，已经进行过不止一代的体外培养。保罗和助手们按照已经非常熟稔的程序，对这些细胞进行处理，抽出胞核，植入到苏玛再次提供的卵细胞内。所有程序都有条不紊地进行着，然后，那一天终于来了。苏玛躺在手术床上，下身赤裸，手术罩单下是白腴光滑的胴体。胚胎着床手术不需麻醉，只需用器械从阴道把卵细胞送入。所以她瞪大眼睛看着忙碌的医护，目光亢奋。在这之前她注射了雌性激素，使这个处女妈妈的子宫内膜增厚，以便于胚胎的着床和发育。 今天作手术的是著名妇科医生索林斯，他曾为几十名试管婴儿作过类似的着床手术。保罗在隔间透过观察窗看着，苏玛侧过脸，捕捉到了保罗的目光，她高兴地霎霎眼，送去一个调皮的笑容。保罗笑着向她挥挥手。 今天他不做手术纯粹是心理原因。在多年的动物实验中，他对这种植入手术早就驾轻就熟了。正是为此，他才不愿为苏玛作，他无法坦然面对一个姑娘的隐处，他怕看惯了动物躯体的目光对苏玛是一种亵渎。他曾坚定地认为，克隆人是克隆哺乳动物的“自然延伸”，因为“上帝的解剖学中并未把人和兽类截然分开”，但现在他悟到了两者的差别。 这个足以改变人类历史的手术实际非常简单。借助于腹腔镜等常用器械，索林斯很快就把手术作完。手术床从屋里推出来，苏玛坐在床上，高兴地同大家交谈着。保罗从隔间走过来时，她嬉笑着说：“该给女儿起名字了吧。请记着，你该算她的父亲吧。” 见保罗略显尴尬，她促狭地笑起来。桥本也凑趣说：“对，他确实是克隆人之父，一个年轻的父亲。”保罗摆摆手，说还是由你起名吧，那是母亲的权利，说完就离开了苏玛。从姑娘的眸子中看得出来，她可能真的对自己动情了。保罗感激她的情意，不过不打算把这种感情发展下去。他有贤妻爱子，苏玛又是雇主的千金，他不想让婚外恋影响家庭和事业。 今天苏玛的亲人都未到现场，她母亲不在此地，回到PPG公司总部所在地特伦顿养病去了。因为可以想见的原因，约翰和伊恩也都没来观看。离开手术室后，保罗回到办公室，用电话向他们通报了情况。罗伯逊先生平静地说：“谢谢你的工作，祝你好运。” 感情外露的伊恩则兴高采烈地说：“该为你准备法国香槟了吧，我今天就去买！”苏玛的护理日志上一路绿灯：7月3日，尿检阳性。 7月14日，羊膜穿刺检查正常，无染色体畸变和先天酶缺失。 8月10日，出现胎心音（早于正常胎儿）。 ... 苏玛现在享受着特级护理，时刻有一名医生和一名护士跟在身后，实行24小时监护。苏玛对保罗半开玩笑地抱怨道：“我已经变成动物园里的大熊猫了，不再有任何隐私。早知如此，我会重新考虑自己的决定。” 但她的抱怨掩不住眉间的洋洋喜气。她的子宫接受了植入的胚胎，启动了藏在基因深处的一串神秘的程序。她开始嗜酸、呕吐，体内开始加快分泌黄体酮，“分泌”越来越强烈的母爱。如果说当初她的决定偏于理性，是一种为科学献身的热诚，那么现在她已经“从生理上”感到了作母亲的喜悦。保罗满意地观察着这些过程。怀孕不到3个月她已经出现胎动，这比普通胎儿要早一些。这时，保罗把伊恩唤来了。 “伊恩，今天我才敢大胆地说一句话：你可以去买香槟了。” 伊恩哈哈大笑道：“我早就备好了，告诉你吧，我已经提前喝一瓶了！”他随保罗去病房看望了苏玛，详细询问了有关情况，也感受到了苏玛的洋洋喜气。两人返回办公室后，伊恩自得地说：“保罗，你知道吗？当初是我向罗伯逊推荐的你，我的眼力果然没错！”保罗微笑着等了一会儿，见他没有下文，便略有不快地说：“伊恩，我原想不用提醒你的，3个月前，你曾给过我一个承诺。” 伊恩笑了：“我没有忘记，怎么能忘记呢。我只是在踌蹰着，怎样把这个消息慢慢告诉你。为什么我把那位妇女的姓名保密了3个月？因为不想让你过早知道，不想影响你作手术时的心境。让我把谜底挑明吧，她恰恰是你的一个直系亲属。” 保罗真正地惊呆了：“是我妻子？是我妻子提供的细胞核？” 伊恩笑道：“不对，再猜一次。” 保罗思索一会儿，摇摇头说：“那我就不知道了。我并没有另外在世的、女性的直系亲属，我的母亲已经去世，没有姐妹，这些情况你都是知道的。除非我有一个在襁褓中就失散的姐妹——这在小说中是常见的情节，但我可以明确告诉你：没有。” 伊恩神秘莫测地笑着，先把保罗摁到办公椅中，才得意地说：“听到我说的消息后，你可不要跳起来。这个奇妙的想法是罗伯逊想出来的。老实说，我当时十分忌妒，为什么一个生物学的外行能想出内行也想不到的奇妙主意。之后，通过了可行性论证后，罗伯逊让我尽全力把你挖过来，他说由这位妇女的直系后代来做这件事更有意义。我想，到现在为止，你可能已猜到了吧，向你提供的人体细胞，实际是你祖母亨利埃塔·拉克斯留给这个世界的永生细胞株。” 尽管保罗已经做好准备去听取最惊人的消息，仍忍不住跳起来：“海拉细胞！”伊恩把他捺回去，欣慰地说：“对，海拉细胞。你当然知道，它是离体培养的人体细胞中传代最久的，从1951年到现在的60年中，每24小时分裂一次，已经至少延续了22000代。在22000代的永生中，它极有可能已经忘了基因中那条根深蒂固的死亡指令。现在，你尽可驰骋自己的想像力，想想由此而来的是什么前景——用永生细胞株克隆出的个体，极有可能也忘了死亡指令，忘了'细胞分裂50代就要死亡'的禁令，这会意味着什么，你自已去想吧。” 保罗仍淹没在极度的震骇中，哑口无言。伊恩微笑着说下去：“当然，我们是脚踏实地的科学家，不是天马行空的科幻作者。人的寿命并不完全取决于50代的细胞寿命。比如，人脑细胞就基本上不可再生，所以，即使其它细胞都不会衰亡，此人也不会长生不老。但即使按最悲观的估计，这种克隆人的寿命也可大大延长，并且一直到死都没有'衰老期'，始终保持着青春期的活力。这在动物界中不乏先例，像大海龟和鲨鱼就没有衰老期，一直到死都在生长；55岁的鳌虾在死前还保持着生殖能力，也像年轻虾一样动作敏捷。” 保罗终于喊出第一句话：“可是，这是我祖母的癌细胞啊！” 伊恩对此早已成竹在胸，流利地反驳道：“癌细胞的本质是忘了死亡指令和接触抑制法则的正常细胞。它照样保存着复制个体所需的全部信息。至于某些癌细胞所具有的多核、染色体畸变等变异性状并不是癌细胞所必有的，你当然知道，我提供的海拉细胞就没有任何畸变。”他微