Embryonic stem cells (ESC) have the ability to self-renew and, being pluripotent, have the potential to create almost any cell type in the body.
Grinnemo et al., "Mechanical isolation of the inner cell mass is effective in derivation of new human
embryonic stem cell lines," Human Reproduction, vol.
Until now, the only way to get
embryonic stem cells was from leftover embryos made through in vitro fertilization.
The suspension of all grants, contracts and applications that involve the use of human
embryonic stem cells has been temporarily lifted.
Some researchers studying human
embryonic stem cells are surprised, disappointed, and even angry over the legal back-and-forth over the federal government policy on funding research using the cells.
No treatments based on
embryonic stem cells or iPS cells are approved yet in the United States.
Before the March executive order, federal funds could be used for research only on human
embryonic stem cells that were derived before 9 p.m.
Ten years of extensive research with
embryonic stem cells in America and around the world has produced not one human cure, but instead only failure after failure.
Human
embryonic stem cell research has been legal in Australia since 2002.
Very often
embryonic stem cells develop into different cells to those required.
Hamilton, ON -- A debate over the ethics of
embryonic stem cell research erupted after a Hamilton businessman made a $15 million donation to Canada's first human
embryonic stem cell library at McMaster University (McMaster Daily News, June 27, 2007).
To study spontaneous differentiation 4-day-old embryoid bodies were plated in tissue culture dishes in standard
embryonic stem cell media without LIF while for the neuronal differentiation study
embryonic stem cells were subjected to an 8-day induction procedure that consisted of 4 days of culture as aggregates without RA followed by 4 days of culture in the presence of 1 [micro]M RA ('4-/4+').
