http://news.independent.co.uk/sci_tech/article2621828.ece
Stem cells 'could be made using normal skin tissue' By Sadie Gray Published: 07 June 2007 Stem cells with the potential for treating serious disease, which have previously had to be taken from embryos, can also be created using ordinary skin tissue, scientists have said. A team from the US made its breakthrough in tests with mice, but if the technique works in humans, it will have far-reaching implications for research into a range of conditions, including Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis. Scientists at the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, conducted research on mice which suggested they could create skin cells with the same properties as embryonic stem cells (ESCs). ESCs are master cells with the capacity to transform themselves into cells for the regeneration of any part of the body. But their use is controversial, as they must be taken from early-stage human embryos which are usually cloned or obtained from IVF clinics, then destroyed. The use of skin cells would broaden scope for research into possible treatments as they would not face the ethical hurdles associated with human embryos. The US team, led by Professor Rudolf Jaenisch, genetically manipulated adult mouse skin cells and switched them to an embryonic stem cell state. The cells appeared to have exactly the same biological characteristics as real ESCs. Prof Jaenisch, reporting yesterday in the journal Nature, said: "These reprogrammed cells, by all criteria that we can apply, are indistinguishable from embryonic stem cells." The cells were able to contribute to every tissue type, and could even create new live mice after being transmitted via sperm and eggs. Teams from Kyoto University in Japan and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute reported similar findings. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
