Text 14706, 51 rader
Skriven 2005-08-22 05:26:00 av Jeff Binkley (1:226/600)
Ärende: Stem cells
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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,166359,00.html

Breakthrough Reported in Stem Cell Research
Monday, August 22, 2005


WASHINGTON  Harvard (search) scientists say they have fused an adult skin cell
with an embryonic stem cell in a potentially dramatic development that could
lead to the creation of useful stem cells without first having to create and
destroy human embryos.

Preliminary results of the groundbreaking research were disclosed Sunday
evening on the Science magazine (search) web site and the Harvard researchers
arranged to discuss their findings in more detail on Monday.

They said they were able to show in their early research that the fused cell
"was reprogrammed to its embryonic state."

"If future experiments indicate that this reprogrammed state is retained after
removing the embryonic stem cell DNA  currently a formidable technical hurdle
the hybrid cells could theoretically be used to produce embryonic stem cells
lines that are tailored to individual patients without the need to create and
destroy human embryos," said a summary of the research reported on the Science
site.

That could lead to creation of stem cells without having to use human eggs or
make new human embryos in the process, thereby sidestepping much of the
controversy over stem cell research.

The Harvard researchers used laboratory grown human embryonic stem cells  such
as the ones that President Bush (search) has already approved for use by
federally funded researchers  to essentially covert a skin cell into an
embryonic stem cell itself.

If a number of hurdles can be overcome in subsequent research, the new
technique "may circumvent some of the logistical and societal concerns" that
have hampered much of the research in this country, Chad A. Cowan, Kevin Eggan
and colleagues from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute report in the Science
article.

The hybrid cells created by the team "had the appearance, growth rate, and
several key genetic characteristics of human embryonic cells," the summary of
their work said.

"They also behaved like embryonic cells, differentiating into cells from each
of the three main tissue types that form in a developing embryo. The authors
conclude that human embryonic cells have the ability to reprogram adult cell
chromosomes following cell fusion. "

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