Scientists were even more stunned in July 2002 when researchers led by stem cell biologist Catherine Verfaillie at the University of Minnesota reported that bone marrow — derived cells they had injected into young embryos contributed to all three embryonic layers,
just as embryonic stem cells would do.
Not exact matches
The reprogrammed skin
cells that have led to this enthusiasm seem to have the same properties
as the
embryonic stem cells (ESCs) found in human embryos
just a few days old.
There is evidence that chronic disabilities such
as spinal cord lesions, diabetes, and Parkinson?s disease, where replacement of
just one
cell type restores tissue function, can be treated with differentiated
embryonic stem cells.
Critics argue further that
embryonic stem cell research is unnecessary because
stem cells from adults are purportedly
just as promising.
Salk scientists and colleagues have proposed new molecular criteria for judging
just how close any line of laboratory - generated
stem cells comes to mimicking
embryonic cells seen in the very earliest stages of human development, known
as naïve
stem cells.
«Researchers are
just now figuring out how adult somatic
cells such
as skin
cells can be turned into
embryonic stem cells.
Also known
as iPS
cells, these
cells can become virtually any
cell type in the human body —
just like
embryonic stem cells.
And meanwhile, university researchers can and do work on
embryonic stem cells —
just so long
as they don't use federal funds (which makes for some complicated partitioning of lab equipment in many a US university department).