|
Scientists Turn Dead Cells into Live Tissue, Raising Hopes and Fears |
|
|
|
|
Monday, 25 September 2006 |
Source: China Daily
Scientists working at a British laboratory have achieved one of the most controversial breakthroughs ever made in the field of stem cell science by taking cells from dead embryos and turning them into living tissue.
The technique could soon be used to create treatments for patients suffering from diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, the researchers say. The breakthrough has been hailed by many scientists and ethical experts because it could circumvent opposition to stem cell experiments.
"This should get round opposition to stem cell science because live embryos will no longer need to be used in all experiments," said Professor Miodrag Stojkovic, the researcher who carried out the experiments at the Centre for Stem Cell Biology at Newcastle University last year.
But other experts on Saturday warned that the use of dead embryo cells could lead to more ethical dilemmas, not fewer. "How do you know when an embryo is dead?" said Eric Meslin, director of the Indiana University centre of bioethics.
Stem cells extracted from embryos are prized by scientists because they are capable of turning into any cell or tissue type in the body. Ultimately they could be used as treatments for heart disease and diabetes and other diseases, researchers argue.
But the technology involves creating and destroying living embryos to extract stem cells. Usually these embryos are made at fertility clinics when couples go for in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
However, Stojkovic's work suggests it may be possible to avoid using live embryos; instead, scientists use those that have died naturally during IVF. It would also mean that many more embryos were available for research and eventual treatment of the diseases, speeding up advancements in the cutting-edge science.
Stojkovic's experiments were carried out while he was working at the Centre for Stem Cell Biology at Newcastle last year. In a paper, published last week online on the website of the journal Stem Cells, Stojkovic reveals he and his colleagues took 13 embryos, created by IVF. All 13 had stopped developing a few days after conception. "They were in a very early stage of development," said Stojkovic, now head of intocell, the Serbian medical research centre.
The team then waited 24 hours to check that the embryos were no longer dividing before beginning their experiments. "These were all deemed to be arrested embryos,' said Stojkovic. "In other words, they were dead. But they had the capacity to develop any different type of cell you could think of, including kidney cells, liver cells, and skin cells.'
"I think this is a very important development, although stem cells created this way should not be seen as an alternative to those made from live embryos. They should be seen as an additional source."
|
|
Last Updated ( Sunday, 01 October 2006 )
|
