A human embryonic stem cell line derived at Stanford University is seen in this handout photo. The nuclei in green are stained for a protein that is found only in embryonic stem cells while blue represents the DNA of the surrounding feeder cells.
Photograph by: Julie Baker/Stanford University School of Medicine, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
A team from the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) at Universite de Montreal reports it has succeeded in producing a large quantity of laboratory stem cells from a small number of blood stem cells obtained from bone marrow.
A news release from the IRIC says a multidisciplinary team, directed by Dr. Guy Sauvageau, has taken a "giant step toward the development of a revolutionary treatment based on these stem cells."
It says the development could advance stem cell research and could have major implications in several fields for which no treatment currently exists.
"It could be possible to envision transplants for all adults from existing umbilical cord blood banks. The stem cell content of these blood banks is currently too limited for large-scale use in adults," Sauvageau said, adding the development could also mean transplant recipients might no longer have to take medication against organ rejection.
Source: Calgary Herald 19 May 2009
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