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Nov 20, 2007 4:15 pm US/Pacific
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Major Stem Cell Breakthrough
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ―
A major breakthrough. Scientists have created embryonic stem cells without a human embryo.
Researchers used four genes and a tiny piece of human skin to spur production of the cells.
One expert called it turning into gold.
Embryonic stem cells hold the promise of treating millions of people who have everything from Diabetes to Parkinson's disease. This technique gives researchers everywhere an endless tap of cells to study.
To the average person the process sounds complicated but for scientists the technology is very easy which is what Dr. Junying Yu told us.
Dr. Junying Yu helped develop the technique.
"It's basically closer, to what we all want to achieve, cure disease in humans," explains Dr. Junying Yu.
And because human skin is used, the ethical debate is removed.
"It is a form a research that allows us to obtain the kinds of cells we need without having to use the intermediate step of working with a human embryo," R. Alto Charo of University of Wisconsin tells us.
President Bush who vetoed federal funding for embryonic stem cell research is praising this new discovery.
This breakthrough has been likened to the Wright Brothers first flight—it's a major milestone—but there are still miles to go.
The process causes the skin cells to regress to an immature state. And then they can follow any number of developmental pathways—they've been described as chameleon-like!
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