Stem-cell controversy cut

20 October 2005

In a bid to cut controversy, scientists have worked out how to grow stem cells without harming the embryos they come from. It's a boost to embryonic stem-cell research, which holds huge promise for patching up patients.

Antenna investigates...


This story was published online in Nature on 16 October 2005.

Image: RBM Online

How did they do it? Antenna asked stem-cell scientist, Bob Lanza, for the inside story...
'We plucked one individual cell from an eight-cell mouse embryo, without injuring it. Then, in the lab we worked out a culture system that made this one cell grow into lots of embryonic stem cells.'
Bob Lanza, stem-cell scientist, Advanced Cell Technology

Bob Lanza, stem-cell scientist, Advanced Cell Technology

Image: Advanced Cell Technology

Scientists removed just one cell from each embryo.

Image: Advanced Cell Technology

'Our cell-sampling technique is similar to the procedure used for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis - a simple test for genetic defects that's already used in IVF clinics worldwide.'
Bob Lanza
Surely taking one of their eight cells away would harm the mouse embryos?
It didn't: the scientists double-checked by implanting the embryos they'd tinkered with into surrogate mouse mothers, where they developed into healthy pups. Then they checked out what became of the one cell they'd removed...

Image: Advanced Cell Technology

Good news! It grew into new embryonic stem cells that were genetically normal and could develop into all the different types of specialised adult cells. 'We saw lots of different cell types, including nerve cells and even heart cells beating in the Petri dish,' said Lanza.
'The next step is to try this same technique in human embryos. This could take a year or longer, but creating stem cells without damaging the embryo they grow from would be a huge boost to embryonic stem-cell research.'
Bob Lanza
Embryonic stem-cell research: what's all the fuss about?
Embryonic stem-cell research is controversial, even though scientists say it will help them understand diseases better and develop new treatments. Why? Because, until now, the only way to get new stem cells has involved destroying embryos.

This is a 12 day old mouse embryo.

Image: Advanced Cell Technology

In the UK, embryonic stem-cell research uses - and destroys - embryos discarded after IVF treatment. It's legal, but for many people that doesn't mean it's right.
In the USA, the government has refused to fund stem-cell research that destroys embryos, because so many Americans think it's morally wrong.
So could scientists' new way to grow stem cells without destroying embryos help clear our consciences and bring stem-cell therapies a step closer?
'This research takes away the biggest objection that most people have with embryonic stem-cell research. But it only uses embryos destined for IVF, so the resulting stem cells would be from a very limited section of the population,' said Natalie DeWitt, from Nature magazine.
'These stem cells could help scientists learn more about disease, but, as far as therapies go, they'd only be of use to the babies from which the cells came. Ultimately, stem cells for patient-personalised treatments will be derived using a different technique called therapeutic cloning.'
Natalie DeWitt, stem-cell commentator, Nature
Get a quick round up of stem-cell science - read Antenna's...
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