Aiming At Cells Made To Order

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The latest SAGE Crossroads article takes a broad look at the aims of stem cell research and regenerative medicine, with a focus on the work of Woo Suk Hwang's group. "They and their colleagues generated the world's first customized human embryonic stem (ES) cell lines, each line tailored to genetically match one of nine patients who suffer from a variety of maladies, including spinal cord injury, diabetes, and an inherited blood disorder. ES cells are believed to be pluripotent, able to develop into any cell type in the body. Thus, they could potentially supply spare parts: lab-grown tissues that would repair ailing hearts, spinal cords, or even brains. And using genetically matched cells like the ones Hwang and Moon produced could keep patients from rejecting such transplants."

Link: http://www.sagecrossroads.net/Default.aspx?TabID=28&newsType=ArticleView&articleId=127