Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Medindia
Advertisement

Embryonic Stem Cells from Adult Skin Developed

by Sheela Philomena on April 19, 2014 at 12:31 PM
 Embryonic Stem Cells from Adult Skin Developed

Embryonic stem cells from adult cells have been cloned by US researchers. This finding is a breakthrough on the path towards helping doctors treat a host of diseases.

The embryonic stem cells -- which were created by fusing an adult skin cell with an egg cell that had been stripped of genetic material -- were genetically identical to the donors.

Advertisement

The hope is that cloned embryonic stem cells, which are capable of transforming into any other type of cell in the body, could be used in patient-specific regenerative therapy to repair or replace an individual's organs damaged by diseases including cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease.

The team of researchers, led by Robert Lanza, of the Massachusetts-based company Advanced Cell Technology, used a technique that had succeeded last year with infant skin cells.
Advertisement

But Lanza's team, funded in part by the South Korean government, used cells from a 35-year-old man and a 75-year-old man.

This is a significant step forward, the researchers wrote in the study published Thursday in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

"For many cell types, reprogramming is more difficult for adult cells than for fetal/infant cells, presumably at least in part because (they are) ... further removed from the pluripotent state" in which the cells can develop into different types, the study said.

Yet adults are more likely than infants to need regenerative therapy, the authors wrote, noting that "the incidence of many diseases that could be treated with pluripotent cell derivatives increases with age."

One advantage of this approach is that it does not use fertilized embryos to obtain stem cells, a technique that raises major ethical issues because the embryo is destroyed.

But critics, including the Catholic Church, believe it presents a slippery slope that could lead to cloning of human beings, a suggestion scientists deny.

Since the birth of Dolly the sheep in 1996 in the United Kingdom, the first cloned animal, researchers have cloned some 20 species including goats and rabbits, but never monkeys or primates whose biology and reproduction is more complex.

Years of research on monkey cells using the same technique have not successfully produced any monkey clones.

Source: AFP
Font : A-A+

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Readings

Latest Genetics & Stem Cells News

Early-Stage Stem Cell Trial for Progressive Multiple Sclerosis
Among MS patients, the stem cells showed a neuroprotective role, guarding nerve cells from further decline.
Human Genetics Unravels Mysteries of Digestive Disorders
New possibilities for research on digestive diseases have been set by complete decoding of the Y chromosome.
World's First CRISPR-Based Gene Therapy for Blood Disorders
UK has given the green light to the world's inaugural gene therapy for sickle-cell disease and thalassemia.
Genotype Linked to Short-Lifespan Affects 1 in 25 People
1 in 25 people had a genotype linked to short lifetime, which includes BRCA2 and LDLR genes, that reduced lifespan by seven years, and six years respectively.
Is Stem Cell Therapy a Breakthrough for Reversing Osteoarthritis?
The study findings help redefine osteoarthritis as a reversible loss of key cartilage stem cells, not just 'wear and tear'."
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
×

Embryonic Stem Cells from Adult Skin Developed Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests