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New stem cell breakthrough

20/11/2007

Scientists say they have successfully reprogrammed human skin cells to act like embryonic stem cells in a development that could transform medical research.

The claim was made today by two separate research teams from Japan and the United States, which both say their research paves the way for stem cells to be developed without using human embryos or unfertilised eggs.

Stem cells, first isolated in 1998, have proved a divisive issue politically and spiritually due to scientific and ethical concerns.

Although pluripotent stem cells can be transformed into any of the 220 cell types found in the human body and therefore hold great promise in the treatment of degenerative diseases, critics claim the use of human embryos is immoral.

Researchers from Kyoto University and the University of Wisconsin say their developed cells were created by inserting four genes, usually switched off, into ordinary skin cells called fibroblasts.

Dr James Thomson, from the University of Wisconsin, said his team's induced pluripotent cells (iPCs) were "indistinguishable" from embryonic stem cells.

"The induced cells do all the things embryonic stem cells do," he explained.

"It's going to completely change the field."

However, both sets of scientists admit that the retroviruses employed to insert genes into the human skin cells could cause tumours. They claim that research must continue to develop methods of reprogramming cells by simply 'switching on' genes.

"Their results open the door to generating alternative sources of pluripotent cells from patients, which is a major step forward," commented Richard Murphy, interim president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

"However, much work still needs to be done to fully characterise and understand the capacity of these induced pluripotent cells to study and to treat human diseases."

In further comment, Sir Richard Gardner, chair of the Royal Society working group on stem cells, said: "These techniques, to convert adult stem cells into cells resembling embryonic stem cells, are a very significant development in this field.

"It is unclear whether the research techniques will prove successful to develop future treatments for diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

"Therefore is important that scientists continue to undertake research using various methods. It would be premature to discontinue efforts in current research areas as a result of this development."