Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 6, 2008 10:27:54 PM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Stem Cell Breakthrough Spares Embryos

Posted Jun 6, 07 5:48 PM CDT in Science & Health 

(Newser) – Normal skin cells can be transformed into the equivalent of stem cells in mice, researchers report, and the new technique may revolutionize research on humans. Because it doesn't involve embryos or eggs, the process skirts the ethical quagmires surrounding human stem cell research; the easy availability of raw material and relative simplicity of the technique are logistical pluses.

American and Japanese researchers working in three independent groups treated skin cells from mature mice with specific genes, returning them to a malleable embryonic-type state. Researchers cautioned that human treatments aren't close, but enthusiasm is high: One scientist who wasn't involved in the experiments compared to accomplishment to the creation of Dolly, the first cloned mammal.

Source Nature

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • UK Approves Research on Human-Animal Embryos

    May 20, 08 3:40 AM CDT
    UK Approves Research on Human-Animal Embryos British legislators have voted to allow scientists to create hybrid human-animal embryos for stem cell research, the Daily Telegraph reports. The new laws will give British scientists more freedom to pursue hybrid research than those of any other country. The vote passed by a huge margin after supporters of the research argued that it could someday save millions of lives. More »

  • Human-Animal Embryos Created

    Apr 2, 08 6:14 AM CDT
    Human-Animal Embryos Created In a brave new world breakthrough, British scientists for the first time have created animal-human hybrid embryos, the London Times reports. The nuclei of cow eggs were removed and replaced with ones from a human cell, creating "admixed" embryos—or "cybrids" whose genetic material is 99.9% human. Electricity jolted the cybrids to life and they survived for three days. The research team aims to create longer-living cybrids for use in stem cell research. More »

  • Calif. Firm First to Clone Human Embryos

    Jan 17, 08 4:38 PM CST
    Calif. Firm First to Clone Human Embryos A California lab has cloned a human embryo, a science first; the researchers stopped short, however, of creating stem cells. Using a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer, the scientists fused DNA from a man’s skin cells with donated egg cells—and created an embryo with cells specific to the man. Scientists hope stem cells could replace damaged cells with reduced risk of rejection. More »

  • Stem Cells Made Without Destroying Embryos

    Jan 10, 08 5:43 PM CST
    Stem Cells Made Without Destroying Embryos Scientists have created new embryonic stem cells while keeping the donor embryos intact, Wired reports, a breakthrough that could finally permit long-delayed research into curing cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. Researchers plucked single cells from 2-day-old human embryos, coaxed them to become ESCs, and developed them into heart tissue, neurons, cartilage, and blood cells. More »

  • Third Team Turns Skin Into Stem Cells

    Dec 24, 07 4:40 AM CST
    Third Team Turns Skin Into Stem Cells A third team of scientists has successfully turn skin cells into stem cells that can be coaxed into becoming any kind of tissue. The American researchers are the first group to manage the feat with a volunteer's cells, not cells grown in a lab, which demonstrates that such cells could be widely available. More »

BIZ MED-STEMCELL 3 PH   (KRT Photos)
This handout image received 02 November   (Getty Images)
  (Index Stock (http://www.indexstock.com))
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 3)

Tags

research  • stem cells  • embryo  • mice  • skin cells


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Home Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »